


Drew a Line for You

by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Universe, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Misunderstandings, Non-canon Shiro and Keith background, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Public Display of Affection, Sharing a Bed, Sheith Big Bang 2018, Written before season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 03:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15922043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticReactions/pseuds/BossToaster
Summary: Working within the cultural norms of different planets can be difficult.  The Voltron team have become adept at rolling with the punches.  Having to pretend to be married to Keith is not the worst or the strangest thing Shiro has done in space.It might be the hardest.  Or, rather, hiding that he's actually in love with his best friend will be the hardest.





	1. Keep My Visions to Myself

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sheith Big Bang.
> 
> A huge, huge thank you to [Seiteki9](http://seiteki9.tumblr.com/) for the gorgeous artwork. You should go tell them how gorgeous it is.

"In my defense," Lance said, his hands both held up, "there was no way I could have known this would happen.  And at least we’re aware, now. So, you know, mission accomplished."

Allura's brows rose, the very picture of unimpressed.  "That's not usually the way we encourage you to find out about unique cultural rules."

Lance shrugged.  "I mean, it kind of is.  Talking to the locals, making nice with the leadership, forming connections..."

"That's what we're calling it these days?" Pidge drawled, kicking her feet up on the table and slouching back in her chair.  Keith pushed her shoes further to the left, so they weren't directly in front of him anymore, which she allowed without complaint.  "I thought it was just more of your bad flirting."

Immediately, Lance straightened and scowled.  "Bad? My flirting is great."

"Remind me how many girls you've actually managed to woo with your lines?  Not including the ones kidnapping your lion."

"Hey-!"

Shiro groaned and held up his hands.  "Enough. Lance is right, his behavior was... mostly harmless."

Lance shot Pidge a triumphant look.

"We have bigger problems to deal with, now."  Shiro nodded to Allura. "I'm sure you can handle negotiations just fine, Princess.  But I'd feel better if you weren’t alone during the talks, even if you only have one or two of us were there as well.  These... matrimony rules are unfortunate, to say the least."

Shiro had come to expect any number of strange objections to the paladins during talks.  A shocking number of cultures had specific and often frustrating rules about who was allowed to negotiate.  Usually that was status, which their paladin titles often allowed them to circumvent. Other times, it was age.  On one memorable occasion, only Coran had been found orange and furry enough to enter the sacred temple of negotiations.

However, needing to be _married_ was a new one.

"I agree," Allura replied.  "I admit, this cultural norm is unusual.  Marriage in various forms is common throughout the universe, but I’ve never known it to be a requirement for discussions.” She sighed and pushed her hair back.  "At least they have sense enough not to bar the last member of a royal family from the process. Even so, I would prefer someone to watch my back, in case things go wrong.  Perhaps we can work something else out with them?"

Coran cleared his throat.  "Or, perhaps they'll let an old widower join you as well."

Immediately, the room went silent.

Hunk's fingers dug into the table, eyes wide and shining with sympathy.  "Oh, Coran. We didn't know. I'm sorry to hear about that." Then he paused, brow furrowing.  "How have we never heard about that?"

Coran winked and tapped on the tip of his nose.  "I suppose it just never came up. It's a terribly sore subject for me, after all."

Eyes bright with the possibility, Allura nodded slowly.  "Yes, I do believe that would work. Thank you for being willing to speak of your personal tragedy, Coran."  Her lips quirked as he gave an exaggerated sob and wiped under one eye. "I believe this is a culture that will respect staying loyal to a partner even after loss.  But I don't think that's a reason they'll accept for all of us. Instead, we'll just have to be forward about our own marital relationships." She raised her eyebrows at them pointedly.  “Who would like to be married for this mission?”

"Oooh." Lance leaned back in his chair.  He crossed his arms behind his head, stretching out comfortably.  "Well, guess I don't have to worry about that."

Pidge eyed him, then turned to Allura.  "Alternatively, we can have Lance follow through on his remarks and marry the king's daughter.  He said she wasn't taken, right?"

"Hey!"  Dropping his arms, Lance scowled.  "No. No way. I'm not getting married to that princess for some stupid talk.  There's definitely a better idea."

Hunk nodded, a curl at the corner of his lips.  "Lance is right, Pidge. This is a ridiculous plan."

Beaming, Lance nodded back.  "Exactly. Hunk is exactly right."

"Why would the princess want to marry Lance?"

"Wow, rude!"

Hunk burst into laughter and clapped Lance on the back.  "I'm just telling the truth. You kind of told her to her face that you weren't actually interested."

Bottom lip stuck out, Lance shrugged.  "It was supposed to be fun."

"It was super fun to watch her dad's face when you said that," Pidge offered.

Shiro cleared his throat loudly, till they all stopped to look at him.  "I think that plan's out, thank you, Pidge. Lance, they know you're unmarried, and a brand new marriage wouldn't qualify you to sit at the negotiating table anyway.  We'd need at least a couple of years. So what about the rest of us?"

Pidge and Hunk shared a look, and then Pidge shook her head.  "No way. I will if it comes to that, but I'm wasted doing talks.  They were going to show us around their communications network. I should be working on that."

"That's reasonable," Shiro agreed.  "And, no offense to you, but you look the youngest of us by a good margin.   The Kavinus have a similar enough build to humans that they might have questions."

Shoulders relaxing, Pidge nodded and waved a hand.  "Whatever reason you want. I really don't want to have to play lovey-dovey with someone anyway.  Leave me to the computer stuff, not the people stuff."

"I'm probably best with the tech too," Hunk replied.  He tapped on the table thoughtfully, glancing between the remaining two options.  "Besides, I'm going to be honest with you. Acting isn't my strong suit. Especially with high stakes.  You're both great guys, but I'm not sure how well I'd handle pretending to be in a relationship with either of you.  I think I'd panic."

That was reasonable.  While Shiro had more faith in Hunk than that, he did have a tendency to let pressure get to him when it wasn't life-or-death.

Which left-

"Actually, I think this works out best," Allura agreed.  "Shiro and Keith, you've known each other for the longest, correct?  Or have Lance and Hunk known each other for longer?"

Shiro glanced at Lance and Hunk, his brows up.  "I'd say probably close to the same time. Did you two become friends before the Garrison, or during?"

Lance grinned.  "On, like, the first day.  We're that good." He held up his fist, and without looking over, Hunk bumped it.

"So, longer than Keith and I have known each other," Shiro confirmed.  "But only by a couple of months. That would be... nearly five years now."

Allura smiled mischievously, her fingers twisting together in her lap.  "That's plenty of time to have gotten married and to be at the talks, especially by the Kavinus’ standards.  After all, the King thought Lance getting ready to propose in barely over an hour."

"He didn't exactly approve of that," Keith said.  His tone was dark enough that Shiro looked at him for the first time.

Jaw set, shoulders tense, eyes narrowed.  It was the same posture that Shiro used to see every time he was assigned to speak to Keith as a friendly upperclassman.  He didn't want to do this, but he'd go along with it because he didn't have a choice.

Shiro's stomach fell.

Keith was about as people-oriented as Pidge.  He would probably have preferred to stay out of this just like her, except that everyone else had been eliminated first.

This was purely business.  But Shiro had to admit that of everyone on the team, he'd have the least trouble pretending to be in love with Keith.  If anything, it hit far closer to home than he’d like.

“I might look old enough to pull off having lost my partner as well,” Shiro said, eyes still on Keith’s unhappy posture.  “Or we can say I have a spouse back on Earth. But that does mean I’ve been away from them for nearly two years, so I’m not sure how that counts in this culture.”

Allura considered, then took a deep breath.  “The second option is interesting, but with how young you are, being away that long might hurt us.  You likely would have been apart more time than you were together. But I think having both of you as widowers strains credibility.  We can try, but I don’t want to start off talks having been caught in a lie. That puts us in a bad spot.”

Scoffing, Lance crossed his arms.  “Saving them from the Galra should more than make up for that.”

“It’s politics.”  Hunk crinkled his nose in open distaste.  “‘Should’ doesn’t come into it much.”

“Precisely.”  Allura set her shoulders, then nodded.  “We’ll try and read the room. Coran and I should be enough, if we feel it won’t work, and-”

Keith groaned and scrubbed over his face with one hand.  “Fine. We’ll be married.”

Allura’s lips pressed together as she looked him over.  “We’re discussing how you don’t have to be.”

“Yeah, and it’s all bad options.”  Keith kept his gaze on Allura, not even glancing over at where Shiro was still watching him carefully.  “It’ll be boring for me, but I can at least be there in case something goes really wrong. And it guarantees Shiro will be at there, which is important.  So fine. I’ll pretend to be married.”

While Shiro appreciated how awkward this was, Keith’s tone still stung.

“Mazel tov,” Pidge said.  “Congratulations to the happy couple.”

Shiro eyed her sternly, which bothered her not at all.  “None of that. This needs to be normal, not a joke.”

“Yeah, in front of the Kavinuns.”  Lance clasped his hands to his chest.  “You can’t ask us not to have fun about this in private.  This is too good.”

“Watch me,” Shiro said, tone darkening.  His eyes slid over to Keith again, whose jaw was set and his eyes were determinedly blank.  “This is going to be difficult enough as it is. I’ll thank you not to make it worse.”

Keith’s jaw tightened further, and his shoulders lifted an inch.

Well, he never liked it when Shiro tried to make situations easier on him.  Keith called it coddling, while Shiro called it basic human decency. If he could spare Keith grief over their ploy, Shiro would.

Selfishly, it might also make Keith look less like he was walking to the gallows.  It was already going to be difficult to play at being in love without showing he was actually in love.  Keith being miserable the whole time made it that much more painful.

Hunk held up his hands.  “We’ll be good while we’re on the planet, alright?  But promise we’ll be allowed to tease after.” His eyes lit up with open mischief.  “I’ll even make you guys a divorce cake, since you didn’t get a wedding cake.”

Perking, Lance grinned.  “Yeah? Can we pretend to be married more often?  If we’re getting cake, we should do this every mission.”

Coran stroked his beard thoughtfully.  “No need for Hunk to do all the work. I'll make you a traditional Altean wedding meal.  I would be surprised if we didn’t have the space goo gelatin molds somewhere on the castle.”

“Oh!”  Allura’s eyes went bright.  “Yes, that would be lovely, Coran.”

Pidge’s entire face scrunched up, as she mouthed the words ‘space goo gelatin.’

Yeah, Shiro couldn’t say he was looking forward to that either.

“After,” Shiro repeated.  “Until then, this is completely normal.  No jokes, no snickering, no making faces.  I don’t want to ruin our own plan because you found it funny.”

“Promise.”  Lance held up one hand and placed the other over his heart.  “But the second we take off, it’s on.”

Shiro could live with that.

Another glance at Keith showed he hadn’t relaxed at all, though.  It was on the tip of Shiro’s tongue to call off the charade. But Keith had agreed of his own volition, and it was necessary.  Shiro couldn’t say he liked making deals under false pretenses, but he’d come to accept that was how politics worked. It was a lie, and they could go back to being perfectly normal friends right after.

Hopefully.

Five years of friendship should be able to withstand a few days of fake marriage.  So long as Shiro didn’t do anything stupid, like admitting more than he should.

“You two should get your story straight,” Pidge said.  She finally took her feet off the table as she looked them both over.  “Your anniversary, when you started dating, how you proposed - you don’t want to be blindsided if someone asks.”

True.  Shiro bit the inside of his cheek thoughtfully and nodded.  “That shouldn’t be difficult. We can creatively edit our history.”

“Yeah,” Keith said, barely looking over.  “I guess.”

Shiro swallowed against a well of disappointment.  Was the idea of marrying Shiro so distasteful? No, Keith didn’t see him that way, but they weren’t really getting married.  It was a ploy.

Then again, would Shiro want to be married to himself?

Taking a deep breath, Shiro nodded to the others.  “We’ll discuss this in private, I think. Any necessary information I can pass off to you later tonight.”

Allura nodded agreeably and stood, her hands folded in front of her.  “Of course. We’ll leave you to it. We should discuss the schedule for the next day or two.”  With that, she started to usher everyone out with no-nonsense efficiency.

Shiro smiled back, relaxing slightly.  Allura would keep everyone in line, at least for a little while.  That gave them enough time to get settled.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Shiro turned to face Keith and straightened his back.  “If you aren’t comfortable-”

“I agreed to this,” Keith interrupted.  “It’s fine. Let’s just decide.”

Shiro frowned, not at all soothed by his tone.  “This isn’t going to be believable if you seem miserable about the idea.  We just talked about how being caught in a lie would put us in a worse position.”

Keith opened his mouth, then shut it.  He let out his breath through his nose, like a bull snorting, and nodded.  “Yeah. I know. I can do this. It’s just weird.” He looked Shiro over, and for the first time there was concern in his eyes instead of blank distaste.  “This doesn’t bother you?”

“Of course not,” Shiro said.  “We’re friends, and we’ve been close for years.  It’s not like we’re really getting married. We’ll sit next to each other, kiss once or twice, and otherwise it’ll be business as normal.  Then, when this is over, we’ll pretend this never happened.” It would live in the bottom of Shiro’s heart, with the collection of memories he never wanted Keith to know he dwelt on.

Lip pressed thin, Keith looked down at his lap.  The answer was clearly disappointing, though Shiro couldn’t have said why.  Did he want more cartoonish disgust at the idea of possibly being married to Keith, to prove how very uninterested he was in the idea?  Shiro couldn’t begin to muster that kind of negativity. Even if he was that opposed to the idea, Shiro was a professional. Holding Keith’s hand wasn’t even close to the worst thing he’d done, and not for the worst reason.

Finally, Keith nodded.  “Okay. We met the same way?”

“You were a talented but troubled underclassman, and I was asked to speak with you,” Shiro agreed.  “I found you interesting and sharp-witted, though you still thought I was a teacher’s pet. I offered advice and someone to talk to until you admitted I might have a clue what I was talking about.  I don’t think that needs to change.”

Keith’s lips quirked up.  “Interesting and sharp-witted?”

“You were a bad boy,” Shiro amended, grinning as well.  “I have a thing for smart rebellion.”

For a moment, Keith’s face blanked again. Then he snorted.   “Okay, that you’re making up.”

Shiro raised his brows and pushed his chair back, until it was balanced on the two back legs.  “No, I’m not, actually. My first boyfriend was in a punk band.”

Eyes wide, Keith stared at him.  “What? You never told me that. Seriously?”

“Well, I say boyfriend, but that’s probably not an accurate summation.  It was more casual than that.” Shiro met Keith’s eyes, then looked away.  “No, I haven’t said. Honestly, the situation was a little embarrassing on my end.  I haven’t told anyone, and it never felt important. Besides, you know how I am.”

“How we both are.”  Keith’s fingers curled against the wood of the table.  “Can we even do this? I didn’t know that about you, and I don’t talk about my childhood either.  Can we pull of being married like that?”

That was a good point.  Shiro frowned at the far wall, considering it.  “It would have been better with Hunk and Lance. But I don’t know that it’ll come up at all.  We’re both private, and we’re not required to spill our life stories just because someone asks.  Especially since there’s a minefield in both our pasts.” He pushed up on his toes so that the chair rocked back further.  “We’re the best choice of what we have. And you know me better than anyone else, so you’re my best option.”

A small smile curled at Keith’s lips.  “Same to you.”

Shiro’s chest went warm, like it was lit from within by a bright light.

“So, we met.  How did we start dating?”  Shiro watched Keith from the corner of his eyes.  “Did we start with dating, or did we start as friends with benefits?”

Keith started and choked.  He leaned forward, hacking into his hand as he fought to regain his composure.  “Holy shit, Shiro.”

“It’s a legitimate question.”

Narrowing his eyes, Keith finally straightened again.  “I don’t think these aliens will appreciate that detail.  They seem pretty set on the marriage thing. No flirting unless you’re courting.”

Shiro hummed his agreement.  “True. Oh, well. How about… actually, who asked out who?”

“I-”  Keith frowned.  “I don’t know. I’d need a pretty clear sign you were interested to risk it.  You were the only person I liked at the Garrison. Longer, really. I wouldn’t want to chance that.”

Heart clenching, Shiro offered him a sad smile.  “I’m not much better. But I might have tried.” He almost had, more than once.  So many things had stopped him. Keith’s utter lack of signals to show he was interested.  The rumors about the Kerberos mission, and the hints he’d been short listed as a pilot. Shiro’s own fears.  It was good he hadn’t, but Shiro could imagine slipping. “I blurted it one day, while we were on the roof stargazing.”

“And I said yes.”  Keith nodded, eyes closed.  From the way his head was tilted up to the ceiling, he might have been imagining the situation.  

Shiro could picture it too.  In the middle of the night, too close to the lights of the Garrison to avoid light pollution, but trying to look up at the stars anyway.  Seeing Keith with his head up and eyes heavily lidded, that little, contented smile on his face.

He couldn’t imagine the yes.  But he could imagine the asking.

“We dated for the rest of the school year,” Keith continued, eyes still closed.  “And when you were picked for Kerberos, I said we should get married before you leave.”

“Smart,” Shiro agreed softly, like speaking too loudly would break the moment.  “You’d get an insurance payout when it all went wrong.”

Keith cracked open an eye, temper flashing.  “Not for insurance. Hell no. Because I wanted it official before you left.  One more reason to come home.”

Oh.  Shiro’s heart thudded, like his ribcage was too small.  “Sorry. I jumped ahead in the story.”

Shrugging, Keith looked away again.  “From there it’s the same, except we were married during all this.”

Shiro swallowed hard.  Keith still looked so disappointed in his response, and he’d admitted something so vulnerable.  He should do the same. “It worked. In the story and in real life. I fought to stay alive for… well, for a few reasons.  But one of them was that I promised you I’d come home.”

Keith’s head snapped up.  He swallowed and his eyes darkened like they were wetter than usual.  “Oh.”

“Maybe I should have said that before.  But there was never a time to drop that without it being awkward.”  Shiro gave a thin smile and shrugged one shoulder. He finally put the legs of the chair back down.  “It’s true though.”

Swallowing again, Keith looked down at the table.  “Okay. Um. Good to know.”

The short answer might have been insulting, but Shiro spoke Keith-Language pretty well.  His words weren’t saying much, but his shoulders and eyes were saying ‘this means a lot to me.’

That was all Shiro needed to know.

“Do we need to figure out rings?”  He asked. “I don’t know how they do marriage here, but there might need to be some physical sign.”

Keith considered, looking down at his own hand and working the fingers.  “Will they notice we didn’t have them before?”

“We’re wearing armor, including gloves.  It can go below that just fine. I bet Pidge and Hunk can manufacture us up something simple quickly.”  Shiro shrugged. “I don’t think either of us would have gone for fancy rings, right?”

“Definitely not for me.”  Keith’s lips quirked up. “You don’t want a huge, glamorous diamond, Shiro?  Will you still respect me if I don’t spend a year’s salary on your engagement ring?”

Shiro’s brows rose.  “That depends, are we considering your scholarship a salary?  Because otherwise zero times however many paychecks is still zero.”

“Ouch.”  Keith stood up, rolling his shoulders.  “Yeah, simple is good. We’ll talk to them now.  Do we need to discuss more? What our wedding was like?”

Shiro considered, then shook his head.  “We probably got married in a court house because we were pressed for time and neither of us had people to impress.”

Brows up, Keith eyed him.  “When you say it like that, it’s pretty sad.”

“I don’t know, we were making a new family.  I don’t think that’s all that sad.” Shiro stood and squeezed his shoulder.  Then he looked down at the gesture and snorted. “Maybe I should do this less.  It’s not very romantic.”

Keith’s eyes darted up, and Shiro could see how they flickered over his face.

Like he was thinking of kissing him.

Shiro froze, even holding his breath as he waited for Keith to move.  They had to get used to this, right? They needed to look comfortable showing affection if they were married.

But he couldn’t do anything but stand there, his heart thudding in his chest in anticipation, hope, and fear.

Keith turned away and stepped back.  “Something to work on later, probably.  You can squeeze my hand instead, that works.  And these aliens don’t know how intimate shoulder squeezing is or isn’t.”

“True,” Shiro said.  Thankfully, his tone remained even, despite how his pulse was still rabbit fast.  “So long as I remember not to repeat the gesture with any of the others. It’d look like I was cheating on you.  With shoulder pats.”

Lips quirking, Keith rolled his eyes.  “No one would believe that after ten minutes in a room with you.”  He moved to the door and opened them, then stood out of the way. “After you, Husband.”

That word sounded good in Keith’s mouth.

“Thank you, dear,” Shiro replied, smiling.  “Honey. Sweetie. Baby.”

Keith rolled his eyes and shoved him in the back, moving him on.  “Enough.”

“Aww, you like it,” Shiro teased, keeping his tone confident.  After all, they were in the open now, where anyone could hear. “You’re my stud muffin.”

Shoving harder, Keith groaned.  “No.”

Still chuckling, Shiro let himself be pushed along.  It was silly, and a weird situation, but he was glad they were able to at least joke about it.

This was Shiro’s one chance to treat Keith like he’d always wanted to.

He was going to make it count.

***

The ring on Shiro’s finger was a heavy, foreign weight.  He rolled it in place, smoothing along the edge. Hunk and Pidge had been happy to help them make these, even going the extra mile to make them look worn and old, which hadn’t occurred to Shiro.  There had been a lot of smirking and nudging, but neither of them had made jokes.

Small mercies.

Luckily they’d slept on the castle, so they could stay in their own rooms.  Shiro wasn’t sure his heart could take sharing a bed with Keith after the previous evening.  But now they had to head to breakfast, and that meant their first appearance as a couple.

“Keith?” Shiro called, knocking on his door.  “Are you ready to go?”

After a short pause, the door opened.  Keith was dressed in his full armor, but like Shiro he’d forgone the gauntlets.  The silver band gleamed on his finger, as if designed to draw Shiro’s eyes. Shiro’s heart rate picked up until it must have been audible.

Noticing his gaze, Keith brought his hand up and tapped on the ring.  “Feels weird, right?”

“Yeah,” Shiro agreed, still transfixed by the sight.  Keith wearing a ring for him. Keith wearing a ring for _him._  “The weight is strange.”

“Never been a jewelry guy,” Keith agreed.  “I guess it gets normal. Time to go?” His jaw set and his shoulders went tight.

Clearly, he wasn’t looking forward to acting.  Shiro couldn’t blame him. This certainly wasn’t Keith’s area of expertise.  But needs must.

Shiro nodded and impulsively offered his arm, feeling silly.

Looking at Shiro’s elbow, Keith frowned.  “Really?” He muttered, even as he took it.  “We didn’t walk into the King’s meeting room like this.”

“That was as soldiers,” Shiro said.  “This is as diplomats and husbands.”

Maybe he was overcompensating.  Maybe he was being silly. Maybe he was milking the situation a little more than necessary.

It was too late now.

Keith sighed, and he never relaxed or leaned into Shiro like he should have.  His fingers dug into Shiro’s biceps, and he was so tense it was like he wanted to yank away.

Even so, Shiro was hyper aware of each individual finger and of the steady pressure of Keith against his side.  Keith was on Shiro’s arm. This was more than Shiro would have ever expected to be allowed, and he had to pretend he barely noticed.

Shiro took a deep breath and willed his focus away from Keith’s warm hand on his bicep.  They made their way out of the castle, and across the short walkway to the palace.

It was just as ostentatious in the morning light.  Huge, elaborate tapestries woven with precious stones all lined the entry wall.  Statues and columns that rose a dozen feet in the air. The floor looked like it was one continuous piece of marble, covered in places with brightly colored rugs weaved into elaborate patterns.

Definitely high status.  Gaudy, in Shiro’s tastes, but most everything royal was.  The Castle of Lions only escaped his distaste by being so functional.

Almost immediately, they were met by two guards.  Both were a solid eight feet tall, and their skin shimmered with a metallic, bronze color.  One had bright red eyes, and the other shining green, like they had gems in their skulls instead of eyeballs.  Other than those admittedly large differences, they were remarkably human-like, including their mannerisms and their armor.

“You are with Voltron?” The one with the ruby eyes asked, head tilted.

Keith glanced down at his armor, then stared at the guard with his brows up and expression bland, as if to say ‘obviously.’  Shiro tapped him on the small of the back to remind him to behave.

Ruby-eyes didn’t react to the unspoken sass.  “Then please follow my wife. She will see you to the dining room.”

Huh.  The guards came in married pairs too?  Interesting. Shiro smiled to them both, deliberately easy.  “Thank you, that would be great.”

Gesturing for them to follow, Emerald-eyes started down the hall.  This section of the palace was just as ridiculously ornate. Huge paintings dominated the walls, and each of the lights on the wall were elaborately crafted with gold made to look like lace.  Shiro kind of wanted to touch them to see if they were as delicate as they looked. He leaned into Keith’s side to resist the urge.

Keith stayed tense and unyielding against him.

Finally, Emerald-eyes stopped in front of a huge set of double doors, carved with gold inlay making elaborate shapes.  She took hold of the door and pulled it open, gesturing for them to head inside.

“Thank you,” Shiro said, nodding to her.  He stepped inside, then nearly stumbled as Keith didn’t move.  But before he could look over, Keith finally walked, as if he hadn’t blatantly hesitated.

Like everything else, the dining room shone with gems and precious metals.  The table was huge, enough to seat nearly two dozen people. King Eossi was already at the head of the table, with his daughter Princess Oylt at his right side.  Allura sat on his left, her hands folded politely in front of her. Coran and Hunk were already up as well, though Pidge and Lance apparently hadn’t made an appearance yet.

“Ah, welcome, Black Paladin, Red Paladin.”  King Eossi held his hand out to them, smiling.  The long sleeve of his thick robes swung, only barely avoding brushing his food.  His skin was a darker shade of bronze than the guards outside, as was his daughter’s.  “Princess Allura has told me that you will also be joining us for the talks, yes?”

Shiro smiled and tightened his grip on Keith’s arm.  Show time. “Yes, Your Majesty. We have only been married for a few years, but that is a function of age rather than desire.”

“You have accomplished much as a team and as a couple, this is true,” Eossi replied, nodding.  He gestured for them to take a seat at the dining table.

Once they were settled in, Shiro nodded.  “That’s kind of you to say. I feel that what Keith and I have experienced together have given us wisdom and capability beyond what our years suggest.”

“I look forward to seeing that in action,” Eossi replied.  He seemed pleased with their response, or at least politely attentive.  “Please, eat. It will be a long day of talks, I’m sure. They always are.  Take advantage of a full meal while you can.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”  Shiro pulled over one of the bowls, which was filled with something that reminded Shiro of scrambled eggs in texture and in scent.  The bright orange color was more akin to cheese puffs, but he elected to ignore that. Instead he pushed the bowl closer to Keith, who took it with automatic ease.

As they served themselves, Eossi turned to Coran instead.  “I am sorry to hear of your loss. It must still be recent for you, from what I understand.”

Next to him, Hunk hastily shoved a mouthful of some kind of bright blue, crumbly bread into his mouth.  His eyes darted around shiftily as he slowly chewed.

Okay, maybe Hunk had been right to turn down being fake married, if that was how he reacted.  

Coran sighed and slumped back in his seat.  It might have been dramatic, but they were discussion the loss of his supposed long-term spouse.  “Yes, barely a decapheob now. It is difficult. I still look over my shoulder, expecting to see his reactions.  It’s jarring, to be adrift.”

Eossi’s diamond-like eyes melted with sympathy.  “I understand. I lost my queen not long ago. It often feels impossible to heal around the gap in my life that she left.”  He glanced at his daughter, his broad shoulders slumped. “It has been hard on both of us. But we have each other, still, as well as my elder daughter.  We survive.”

“Indeed.  May it never be easy.”  Coran nodded at Allura. “But having those you consider family does help make it bearable.”

Allura’s lips pulled up, and she looked down at her plate.  But there was no hiding her obvious pleasure at the words, or her unspoken agreement.  “I agree wholeheartedly.”

Princess Oylt ducked her head, clearly flustered and uncomfortable with the topic.  Her own deep blue eyes dimmed. Then she glanced over at Keith and Shiro again, head tilted.  “Is everything to your liking?” Her voice was soft but polite.

Shiro glanced at Keith, then nodded to her.  “Yes, Princess. It’s always fascinating to try foods from across the universe. Not quite as good as our Hunk can manage, but still interesting.”  Almost everything was dry, which made Shiro gulp down mouthfuls of water. Despite that, the tastes were similar to what he'd eat at home.

The off-hand compliment earned him a wide smile from Hunk.  “I’d be interested in learning about some of the food preparation here, Princess,” he said.  “We’re always in need of new supplies, too. I know we’ll be looking at the communications network first.  But if there’s time after…”

“Of course,” Oylt replied, nodding.  “We’ll see how much time there is. I’ll be supervising your visit, so please don’t hesitate to ask.”  She glanced back at Keith again, head tilted in obvious question.

Keith hesitated, then swallowed his mouthful with a painfully dry gulp.  He looked deeply uncomfortable, both under her scrutiny and with the situation in general.  He hadn’t relaxed an inch, even now that they’d been greeted warmly. “It’s fine.”

“If something is the matter, please let me know.”  Oylt frowned, hands folded in her lap. “If you have any accommodations you need, we will be happy to assist you.  That is our duty as hosts.”

All Keith did was lean back further in his seat, tense like he wanted to throw his cup at her and bolt for safety.

So Shiro reached down and took Keith’s hand in his, squeezing reassuringly.  “It’s nothing like that, Princess, though thank you for checking in with us. Keith just always sleeps worse after fighting the Galra.  Leftover energy. We were up late last night, but we’ll be fine today.”

“You’re one to talk about not sleeping enough,” Keith muttered.  Then he stilled again, eyes wide and worried, like he’d just ruined everything by snarking.

Instead, Shiro relaxed and smiled back.  He squeezed the hand again, this time in encouragement.  Yes. That was better. Acting like he was uncomfortable wasn’t going to make them look married.  Their usual joking and easy exchange was so much better.

So Shiro raised his brows pointedly.  “From how often you complain about my snoring, I must sleep more than enough.”

“You really don’t.”  Keith slowly, finally, started to relax.  He reached up and delicately ran a finger over the scar across Shiro’s nose.  The unexpected touch sent warmth through Shiro, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.  “I complain about your snoring because you never did before. I hate that they did this to you.”

Shiro reached up and took the hand in his, then kissed over the knuckles.  It was terrifyingly easy to fall into this groove. Shiro had certainly imagined kissing these hands enough times.  “It’s not so bad.”

Gaze soft, Keith sighed.  “Your snoring isn’t, no. I know you can live with it.  I wish you didn’t have to.”

“Thank you.”  Shiro squeezed the hand again, then dropped it between them.  He didn’t let go, and instead used his left hand to go back to eating.  “Did you try those beans? You’ll like them, they kind of taste like grapefruit.”

Keith’s eyes lit up with interest?  “Yeah? Don’t like them?”

“Not to my taste, still.”

“I’ll take them.”  Keith scooted over his plate so Shiro could pile his beans over. Then he took a forkful of something mashed and held it up.  “You try this, then. It tastes like salty ketchup, which I would think is your favorite food.”

Shiro snorted.  “Hey, that’s not fair.  You know my favorite food.”  But he obligingly leaned forward and took a bite.  He couldn’t help a smile at the silly, cliche gesture.  “Alright, you have a point.”

“Told you.”  Keith smiled back and handed him the serving bowl.

A chuckle made them both start and look up.  Eossi smiled at them both, deeply pleased. Next to him, Allura’s eyes were wide, and Coran was hiding his face behind his napkin.  Hunk, on the other hand, was outright gaping, though he caught himself quickly.

For a moment, Shiro had almost managed to forget this wasn’t a show. Whoops

“I see what you mean,” Eossi said, inclining his head.  “You act like those who have been married for many decapheobs.”

Shiro glanced at Keith, who stared back, his brows up.  “Glad to hear it, Your Majesty,” Keith replied. His tone was even, but there was a hint of laughter in his eyes.

Apparently they could pull this off.

Shiro let his gaze soften, as besotted as he always felt but had to hold back.  “That doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Now or never.

Reaching up, Shiro cupped Keith’s jaw, gentle and soft with his left hand.  Then he slowly drew him in closer, slow enough that Keith could come up with an excuse if he needed to.

But Keith didn’t, so their lips met.

It was a slow, soft press.  Neither of them could afford to seem unsure, but they kept it chaste and gentle.

Loving, even.  At least, on Shiro’s side.  

He closed his eyes and let his lips slide against Keith’s warm, dry ones.

When he pulled away, Shiro smiled again.  He kept his face calm, but inside his heart was hammering like it wanted to break his rib cage.

Keith stared back, eyes still wide.  He was tense again, but then he melted and smiled back.  It was sudden and bright, like the sunrise just beginning to crest over the horizon.

Yeah.  They could do this.

But Shiro wasn’t sure his heart would survive in one piece.


	2. Play the Way You Feel It

Allura took hold of Shiro’s arm, stopping him cold in the middle of the hallway.  “King Eossi,” she called ahead. “I need a moment with my paladins to discuss a private matter.  May we have a few dobashes before our meeting? Coran can go ahead with you.”

Coran’s brows rose, but he looked to Eossi and nodded.  “I would be happy to help set up, if such a thing is needed.”

Glancing back, Eossi raised a single, hairless brow at them, but then nodded.  “Everything should already be prepared. We’ll be waiting for the rest of our speakers.  You may take your time, Princess Allura. When you are ready to join us, look for the guards and they will guide you.  You may use one of our smaller meeting rooms to speak.” He gestured around the hallway, then put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” Allura shot him a dazzling smile.  She glanced at the closest of the guards, this one with shining orange eyes, then opened the door.  “After you both.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Shiro murmured.  He kept his hand on the small of Keith’s back as they stepped out.  Keith tilted his head, his own lips pressed thin, as if asking if they were in trouble.  Shiro shook his head, then shrugged one shoulder.

Once the doors were closed, Allura leaned back against the door.  She gave them both a sly nod. “We have to discuss your behavior.”

Immediately, Keith bristled.  “We were just doing what you told us to.  If you wanted something else, you should have said.”

Shiro tapped against his lower back, a silent reprimand.  After all, Allura was still a princess, and in many ways their superior officer.  “The way we’re acting would be appropriate for a married couple on Earth. I thought that King Eossi was pleased.”

“You misunderstand me,” Allura said, glancing between them both.  “I’m not here to scold you. When we decided to do this, I didn’t realize the tool we had.”  She stepped closer, her eyes bright and downright calculating. “Eossi was indeed pleased. More than I thought he would be. When we started this, I only thought that it would give you a seat at the table, not that it would put him in a good mood.”

Shiro nodded slowly.  “I’m glad of it too. But I don’t understand what you’re getting at, I’m afraid.  If we don’t need to change anything, why stop us?”

Allura smiled brightly, showing her teeth.  She clasped her hands in front of her and leaned forward, which managed to look both polite and vicious.  “I certainly don’t want you to stop. No, I want you to do more. As much as you can without it becoming suspicious.  The better mood King Eossi is in, the better position we’ll be in to negotiate.”

Oh.

Keith tilted his head back.  “That’s all? I mean, it’s weird, but we can do it.  Just keep being really married until he starts to look suspicious, right?”

“Yes, simple as that.”  Allura gave them both a gentle smile.  “I hate to use you like this. But if they like us, that’s the most powerful tool we can have in politics.  Before, well, everything, we Alteans used gifts and flattery as ways of gaining favor. But now we don’t have even those basic tools.  We have fallen into this one without even meaning to, and I don’t want to give up the chance.”

Nodding slowly, Shiro dug his fingers into the fabric covering Keith’s back.  “I think we can manage.”

Despite his even tone, Keith frowned.  He rocked back on his heels, leaning into Shiro’s hand.  Immediately, Shiro relaxed his hand and smoothed it over Keith’s back, wordlessly apologizing for gripping so tightly.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”  Shiro straightened and raised his chin.  The open concern in Keith’s gaze made him smile back, softening his slightly defensive stance almost immediately.  “I’ve never been one for much PDA. What we were like at breakfast was about my usual limit. But we’re both out of our comfort zone for this visit, right?”

It was for the good of the mission.  This wasn’t about having an excuse and permission to touch Keith romantically.  It was about selling their lie and making sure the talks went as well as possible.

“I don’t think you need to push too far.” Keith said.  His eyes darted to Allura, jaw set. “You’re allowed to have boundaries, still.”

Allura’s brows rose.  “I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise,” she said carefully.  “It would be wonderful if you could help in this way, but it’s not required.  We can make it work, just as we would have if Keith had chosen not to participate.”

Yes, but Keith was powering through, and he was doing so much more.  He was letting Shiro touch him openly and publicly, and to pretend to be married to someone.  The least Shiro could do was match him.

“It’s not a problem.  I just have to focus. It won’t come naturally.”  Shiro gave Keith a smile, warm and soft. “You’ll have to remind me if I start pulling back.”

Keith’s jaw clenched further.  “I’m not going to force you for the sake of a mission, Shiro.”

Why not?  Shiro was already forcing Keith for the same reason.

“You’re not,” he said.  “It’s not forcing, just reminding me.”  He leaned in to give Keith a kiss on the temple, letting the bland irony show on his face.  “A kiss on the cheek will help me remember.”

Keith’s own cheeks went pink.  “Alright. Yeah. If you’re sure.”  He gave Shiro’s arm a squeeze, then focused again on Allura.

She watcged them both, her gaze soft.  “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.  I’m impressed by how naturally you’ve adapted.”

Chest freezing, Shiro clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. “It is what it is,” he said.  “Let’s not talk about this right now.”

Anything to distract Allura from talking about how fast Shiro had gotten used to this charade.  If Keith thought too much about it, he might start to put old behaviors together. And if that happened, not only would they ruin the plan, they’d ruin Shiro and Keith’s friendship.

“You’re right.”  Allura cast a nervous glance back.  “There’s no such thing as privacy in another castle, after all.  This has been dangerous enough. Yes, let’s go.” She gestured for them to follow, then lead the way out.

A guard stood outside still, watching with their ornate sword out.  Other than having it drawn, they made no aggressive moves with it.

Despite that, Shiro tightened his grip on Keith with his left hand, and flattened his right.  Just in case. These beings were friendly so far, but Shiro didn’t trust that. They’d be burned by friendly smiles before, and there was the constant, nagging reminder of how cruel people could be across his nose.

Shiro took a deep breath and focused on the warm palm against his own.  The weight of Keith’s smaller hand, slender but strong, was like an anchor for his twisting thoughts.

One he’d best not learn to rely on, since they wouldn’t be doing this again after.  But for now, Shiro would take what he could.

With that, he stepped inside the room, head held high.

***

“The needs of the coalition-”

“Do not trump those of our people!”

“I’m not saying they should.  I wouldn’t ask you to compromise the solvency of your own planet.  But this is about what you can provide to the cause.” Allura set her jaw, eyes flashing stubbornly.  Coran nodded supportively on one side, while Shiro and Keith watched the group on the other.

The pale-gold colored Kavinun leaned back, lips pressed thin.  Shiro vaguely remembered that his job was to help manage the finances of the kingdom.  Everyone around the table had been introduced to them, rapid fire and often in relationship to each other.  Most were with their partners, sitting side by side in chairs that only had one arm rest on either side. As he watched, pale-gold’s partner put a calming hand on his wrist and squeezed.

On a different day, Shiro would have a better grasp of everyone in the room, both their functions and their relationships.  But today, he had a distraction.

Today, Keith’s thigh was pressed flush against Shiro’s.  Every few seconds, one of them would move, brushing their legs together.  The heat snapped Shiro’s attention onto Keith next to him and their physical connection, away from the negotiations.

Clearing his throat, Shiro sat up straighter.  “Right now, the lack of funds is severely limiting our ability to expand and defend more of the galaxy.  We have a Balmera as part of our coalition, which helps a lot, but we need more than just power for our ships.  Each battle we take damage, and we have to scramble to patch ourselves up before the Galra counter. Everyone in the coalition has to do their part in some way.  We understand your numbers are limited, so fighting may not be an option, but even a small fraction of your wealth is valuable.”

Eossi tilted his head, his diamond eyes narrowed.  “Forgive me, Black Paladin, but I fear I’m misunderstanding you.  Are you saying that if we refuse to pay for your war, then you will abandon us back to the Galra?”

The Kavinun next to him straightened, her silver armor glinting in the room’s low light. Arkalon, if Shiro remembered correctly.  She was the head of the royal family’s security. “That’s not fighting for us. That’s racketeering!”

Oh, boy.  Shiro bit off his own sharp remark as annoyance bubbled in his stomach.  It was times like these he hated politics above all else. This game where they all played at not wanting the same things so they could get the most out of each other.  

The palace and surrounding buildings were practically made of rare minerals and gems.  So much so that the very denizens seemed to be made of it, as if gold skin was the best camouflage.  How could they claim they had nothing to spare to save lives and help protect the rest of the universe?  Why was it more important to make more gilded tapestries than to liberate another planet from the Galra?

A bitter taste erupted over Shiro’s tongue as he ground his teeth down.  Long practice with Garrison officers and diplomatic missions kept his expression neutral, but under the table, his muscles went tense.

A hand slid over Shiro’s, the warmth suddenly snapping him back into his body.  

Keith put his other hand on the table.  It was clenched tight too, the knuckles white from pressure.  “This isn’t about demanding payment. It’s simple logistics. If we can’t pay to fix our ships, we can’t defend you.  If we could ask nothing, we would. But we can’t, and you can’t afford to let us be defeated. What you _can_ afford is to pay for a few measly ship repairs.”

Glancing over, Allura gave Keith an approving smile.  She turned that smile over the table, looking each of them in the eye in turn.  “Exactly as Keith says. This is for your benefit just as much as ours.”

Shiro tried to watch the room for reactions, but instead his gaze snapped back to Keith.

Right now, his head held high and his shoulders squared, Keith looked surprisingly collected.  For all he hated politics and negotiations, he was doing fine here, despite the iron grip he had on Shiro’s left hand.

Here in front of Shiro was a leader, like he’d always known was there.  The one that spoke his mind and got to the heart of the matter, who didn’t allow tempers or petty matters to dissuade him from the best course of action.  His eyes were clear and steady.

Then he glanced at Shiro, and something subtly melted away.  Under the confidence was a question, a shy tilt to his head. Vulnerability, like Keith wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing.

Squeezing his hand back, Shiro gave the smallest nod he could and tried not to show the way his heart tried to twist in his chest.

This was the Keith that Shiro had looked into the future and seen.

He was beautiful.

“You speak as if this will be nothing,” said pale-gold again, interrupting Shiro’s thoughts.  “This is not a few ships on one occasion. War is expensive. You ask us to fund this on a universal scale, when we are only one planet.”

Coran held up his own hand.  “We don’t ask you do to do this alone.  Most of the groups in the coalition have their own resources, and we have managed until now.  But we are stretched thinner each day and each battle. There is a limit, and we will reach it sooner rather than later.”

As he spoke, the side of Allura’s foot smacked into Shiro’s ankle.  He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out and jumping.  Instead he turned slightly in his chair, so he could see her face better.

Allura’s eyes met his, then darted to Keith.  After a pause, she flicked her gaze toward the rest of the table.

Ah, right.  Shiro might be here to help with talks, or in case something went wrong.  But they were apparently also here to butter up the crowd.

Well, then.

Shiro swallowed disappointment at the reminder that these moments of affection weren’t for him.  They were a show.

It was easy to forget, when Keith’s hand felt so natural in his own.

Picking up their joint hands, Shiro rested them on the table.  In full view of the group, he ran his thumb over the knuckles, memorizing the curves and texture.

(Artwork by [Seiteki9](http://seiteki9.tumblr.com/))

Keith’s eyes widened, but he quickly leaned into Shiro’s side.  “What’s this about?” He asked, barely more than breath.

Shiro turned his head so he could press his lips to Keith’s temple.  “Doing our job,” he reminded, then turned the words into a gentle kiss.  Keith’s skin was soft there, a stark contrast to his rough hands. He was clearly a practiced fighter, and it showed it the callouses and tiny scars.  

“Ah.”  Keith’s whole body twitched, but then he settled down.  “Should we stop talking?”

“No.”  The word came out faster and more sharply than Shiro meant to.  “No, you’re doing a good job. You’re not letting them get outraged.  And pragmatism is better here than moralizing, I think.”

Keith’s lips quirked up.  He turned to face Shiro. Up close like this, their foreheads brushed together, tangling white bangs with black.  “You needed a chance to collect yourself. I gave you one. Poor Shiro. I’m sorry everyone in the universe isn’t as wonderful as you.”

The words would have sounded sarcastic.  The curl of Keith’s lips was certainly teasing, and there was a fond light in his eyes.

But he seemed sincere.

Keith had spoken up _for Shiro._

Shiro’s throat tightened.  His chest ached with the familiar urge to touch, to soothe the overflowing fondness bubbling up inside.  

For once, he didn’t have to suppress that urge.

Shiro leaned forward farther until their noses brushed together.  “As long as you’re by my side, I can manage.”

Up close, the flecks of blue in Keith’s purple eyes were clearly visible.  Not for the first time, Shiro wondered if the shade was a nod to his heritage, or if it was a uniquely Keith trait.

They were still moving forward.  Keith’s breath brushed over Shiro’s mouth.  He tilted his head up, his eyes falling shut.

Shiro’s heart raced hopefully, pounding hard in his throat.

Their lips met.  

This kiss wasn’t as gentle and chase as before.  This time there was pressure, and Keith had to arch up to reach.  Shiro’s fingers curled around Keith’s hand, holding tightly as if he’d move away.

Shiro was never going to be able to forget how soft Keith’s lips were against his own.  How his teeth brushed against Shiro’s bottom lip. The shifting of Keith’s thighs against his own, slotting together perfectly.

A soft gasp escaped Shiro, utterly out of his control.  Keith’s fingers tightened around his hand in response, like he wanted to drag Shiro in further.  If he had, Shiro would go. He’d go anywhere Keith asked him to.

There was a cough.

Shiro’s heart froze.

He pulled away, so suddenly his whole face felt chilled.  Shiro looked around to see a table full of aliens, Alteans including, all watching them.

Right.  This was a performance, not a private moment.

Clearing his throat, Shiro looked down at his lap.  “Apologies.”

“Nothing to worry about,” King Eossi said.  When Shiro chanced a glance up, he was smiling indulgently again, if a bit less warmly than at breakfast.  “I understand the tendency. But your attention is best spent on the conversation. There will be time to spend with each other later.”

Keith nodded sharply.  He was stiff next to Shiro and his shoulders curled in abashedly.  “Yes, Your Highness.”

“Of course,” Shiro agreed, just as awkward.  

Once Eossi nodded and started the conversation again, Shiro glanced around the room.  Several of the other married couples were still watching, and from the looks of it, they might have been holding hands or leaning into each other.  

Maybe Shiro and Keith had accidentally started some sort of competitive couples-off with their kiss.

Or, maybe not.  Maybe they’d just seen a sweet couple together and were reminded of their own affections, like watching a rom com.

It was surreal. Could they inspire married couples when they weren’t even dating?

Pushing that thought away, Shiro focused on the conversation again.

“We can always discuss what you think a reasonable amount is,” he said, keeping his tone respectful.  “I think you’ll be surprised at how resourceful the coalition is. A little goes a long way, and your aid would help billions.”

Pale-gold huffed, but then inclined his head.  “I shall begin work providing an estimate of what we can reasonably offer.”

“I can also work on a budget for what we’ll need going forward,” Coran added, smiling thinly.  “We can compare.”

That would be a battle, certainly.  If Shiro had learned anything, it was that neither side wanted to give a number until the other did.

Shiro bit back a sigh as Eossi began to speak of what Voltron would offer in return.  Then he picked his head up and focused, trying to watch each member of the council carefully.

Through it all, he leaned into the steady pressure of Keith beside him.

This time, Shiro tried to ignore it and keep his head.

He wasn’t very successful.

***

As soon as the meeting ended, Shiro made his excuses to the dignitaries.  He was physically reluctant to release Keith’s hand, but he made himself let go as they left the room.

Show or not, if Shiro didn’t have a chance to collect himself, he was going to keep slipping.  He’d lost track of their goals at least twice during that conversation, forgetting completely that this wasn’t real.  That Keith wasn’t his. That this would end.

If Shiro kept this shit up, Keith was going to figure him out.  He would know, and it would call every precious moment of their friendship into question.  Keith would worry he was hurting Shiro by leading him on, and he’d pull back. The closeness and support that Shiro relied on so deeply would be gone.

Time for a break.

“I’ll go check in on the others,” Shiro said, offering a smile to Allura, Keith, and Coran.  “Will you need my help for coming up with a budget?”

Coran considered, petting down his mustache as he thought.  “Your insight would be appreciated. You do much of the logistics, after all.  But with Keith’s understanding of the Marmora to help us, I believe Allura and I can handle it.”

“We’ll be okay.”  Keith’s expression was neutral, but his hand was clenched at his side.  He didn’t look upset, so Shiro assumed he felt cold after being held for so long.

After all, Shiro felt the same way.

“Leave yourself time to get ready for the dinner and festivities tonight.”  Allura nodded back, to where the other officials were filing down the hall. “Remind the others to make an effort to look presentable as well.  There will be plenty of attention on us.” Her brow raised pointedly, first at Shiro and then at Keith.

Messaged received.  Remember that this was the last big social gathering before they started to throw around final numbers.  Any positive feelings they could generate would only help the cause.

All the more reason for Shiro to take a break.  Dancing with Keith was already a fantasy of his. After all the touching and kissing today, Shiro wasn’t sure his heart could handle it.

“Of course, Princess.”  Shiro bowed his head to her and Coran, then offered Keith a smile.  “I’ll see you all soon.”

Without waiting for a response, Shiro turned on his heel, casually as he could.

Then he fled.

Shiro walked steadily down the hall, determined to give himself distance, both emotionally and physically.

It wasn’t until he was a few turns away that he realized he didn’t actually know where the communications headquarters was.

Sheepishly, Shiro stopped to ask for directions from a pair of guards.  

When he was pointed in the right direction, he was quick to find a set of large double doors, left open.  Familiar voices drifted out, chatting amicably.

A pair of guards were stationed inside the door.  One of them was resting her shoulder on the wall, and the other stared at the floor without seeming to take it in.  Clearly, they’d determined there was no immediate threat here.

Which was certainly reasonable.  The most interesting thing happening was that Pidge and Hunk had some sort of machine open in front of them, and they were gleefully taking it apart.  Princess Oylt hovered just behind them, eyes wide with fascination as she tried to take in their mile a minute commentary.

Several feet behind them, Lance slumped into one seat, with his foot resting on another.  At the sight of Shiro, he perked up and waved. “Hey, it’s the better half. How’d talks go?”

Prince Oylt’s head snapped up.  She gripped at her robes, clearly caught off guard.  “Oh, Black Paladin! Welcome back. I did not notice your entrance.  You have a quiet step.”

“I do.  Sorry to startle you, Princess.”  Shiro stepped in, nodding to the guards as he passed.  “Lance, don’t insult Keith when he’s not here to defend himself, please.  Or in front of me at all, preferably.”

Lance flapped a hand, unconcerned.  “Fine, fine. I’ll save it for later.  Everything went good?”

“It went well, yes.”  Shiro’s subtle correction was dutifully ignored, as he expected.  “This was just establishing what we all want from each other. There will be more talks tomorrow, and probably during the gala tonight.”

Oylt rested a hand on her hip.  “I would hope not. I’m looking forward to tonight, and I don’t want it ruined it with political bickering.”  Her focus darted down to Hunk, and her diamond-like eyes shone. “You will all be participating?”

“Sure,” Hunk said.  He pushed up his goggles and smiled at Oylt, who shone even brighter.  “Especially if I get a look in the kitchen like we talked about before.”

“Of course.”  Oylt nodded. She folded her hands in front of her, as her cheeks went a dusky, darker bronze.  “As soon as you’re finished here, if there’s still time. We won’t be able to stay long as they prepare, but I’m sure they’d love to talk to you.”

Glancing around the edge of the machine, Pidge met Shiro’s eyes, then made a face.  ‘All day’, she mouthed, then drew a line over her throat.

Shiro bit back a smile.  Poor Pidge. She had escaped the ‘lovey-dovey’ fake marriage, only to get front-row tickets to a princess trying to flirt with Hunk.

“We should be done pretty soon,” Pidge said.  “The long-range communications aren’t super robust, here - honestly, the devices we leave on planets have longer range.  But their encryption software is fascinating. Their construction is pretty unique, too. Come look.”

Shiro obligingly stepped over and peered under the paneling.  “This isn’t my area of- oh.”

The inside of the machine shone in the light of the room.  It was filled with gilded wires and polished stones, including what looked like dozens of small diamonds.

“Yeah,” Hunk said.  He tapped his wrench on the side.  “Different materials are more common here, so they’ve figured out how to make them work optimally for their machinery.  It’s neat.”

“Our methods of building are indeed unique among those we trade with,” Oylt said, straightening up with pride.  “But no less effective. In many cases more. If you’d like to learn more, there are probably pieces you could take with you after the talks are over.”

While Pidge and Hunk exclaimed over that, Lance groaned and dropped his head over the back of his chair.  “All day. It’s been like this all day.”

Shiro carefully stepped around the machine and moved over to Lance.  He used his metal hand to lift his foot off the second chair and drop it pointedly to the floor.  Lance grinned, unbothered, so Shiro didn’t even try to scold him for the un-paladin-like behavior.  Instead, he sat down heavily and let out a sigh.

“Long day for you too?”  Lance knocked their shoulders together.  “From the talks or from the company?” His smile was teasing, but the look in his eyes was more serious.

Lance looked like he was actually concerned.

Shiro’s chest went cold.  

Was he so obvious that someone like Lance could see?  Or was this another jab at the presumed hardship of making doe eyes at Keith?

“All our days are long,” Shiro finally said slowly.  His heart fluttered in his throat, just as fast as with Keith, but now from panic.  

If Lance knew Shiro had feelings for Keith, he’d tell Hunk.  Then Hunk would tell Pidge, and the mice would no doubt hear, who would tell Allura, and someone would tell Coran, and with all those people talking and teasing and gossiping, Keith would hear no matter what-

Lance shrugged, absurdly casual for someone who unknowingly held Shiro’s heart in his hands.  “I mean, this isn’t your usual style, right? You’re not very public with your emotions, that’s all.”

He knew.  Shit, Lance knew Shiro had been hiding his feelings, and now-

Wait.  No. That wasn’t what he was saying, was it?  Lance knew Shiro was usually reserved, so faking PDA would be difficult. Exactly what he’d told Allura earlier.

Relaxing, Shiro offered a strained smile.  “It’s an adjustment. Keith and I are professional most of the time.  Voltron is a team, not a couple and a separate group.” His eyes darted pointedly to Oylt, whose head was aimed carefully in their direction.  “But it’s nice, to let our guard down and just be ourselves.”

Lance tilted his head, eyes scanning over Shiro with a sniper’s precision.  It was like he could see Shiro’s heart rate jump up again. “Mmm. Guess so.”  Then he smiled, bright and sunny. “It’s only going to get worse from here on out, you know.  Tonight, dancing, moonlight. In front of everyone.”

Shiro swallowed hard.  

He could picture it, as clearly than the room around him.  Slowly stepping together on the dancefloor. Keith’s hand in Shiro’s.  The warmth of Keith’s hip under his palm as they swayed together to the beat of music they didn’t know.  Faces inches apart, so close that Shiro could see the flush to his cheeks.

Shiro’s breath caught just from imagining it.

How was he supposed to survive this evening?

“Oh,” Lance murmured, quiet and oddly sad.  “Shiro, buddy. Wow.”

Freezing, Shiro stared at the far wall, as if avoiding Lance’s gaze would fool him.  “What?”

Lance’s breath hissed through his teeth.  “That’s- Dang. You’ve gotten yourself into a situation here, haven’t you?  You really...?”

“Choose your words carefully.”

“I’m trying!”  Lance glanced over at where Oylt was dutifully trying to look interested in Hunk’s enthusiastic chatter while sneaking glances at him. Distracted, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t listening.  “I’m surprised, is all. You’re you and Keith is... he’s Keith.”

Irritation bubbled up, more powerful than it might have under less stressful circumstances. Shiro wasn’t inclined to hold himself back if Lance couldn’t stop the insults.   _“Enough.”_

Lance held his hands up.  “Yeah, yeah, alright. It’s weird.  But if that’s what you want, alright.”  His lips curled at the edges, as a spark of mischief brightened in his eyes.  “And if you’re taken, and Mullet is taken, then next time I’ll get the posters with the hearts drawn around my face.”

Shiro’s nose crinkled.  “You’re welcome to it.” Those Voltron Show drawings had been flattering, in an uncomfortable way.  It felt like when he’d seen posters of himself on Earth. Objectified. An image rather than a person.  He found it easier to deal with when it was for his accomplishments as a pilot or a paladin rather than because some random alien found him pretty.

“Lance the hero.  Sounds pretty good.”  Lance’s lips quirked up.  “You can get pictures with sparkles on it from Keith instead.”

Dammit.  Shiro couldn’t even deny it.  Not only would that sound very weird in front of the princess, but he could tell it wasn’t going to work.  He’d only make Lance more certain.

How had this gone to hell so fast?

Shiro took hold of Lance’s arm, holding with enough pressure to let him know this was serious.  “ Leave it be. Don’t talk about it. To anyone. Even after we leave.”

Lance leaned back in his chair, draping his other arm over the back.  His amusement rapidly fell away, leaving something dangerously akin to pity.  “Why not?”

“Because I’m asking you to.  Both for the sake of the team and as a friend.”

“For-?”  Lance goggled up at him, then snorted.  “Oh please. What’s it going to hurt? Really, talking it out would be a good thing.”

“Lance.”  Shiro kept his expression stern, ignoring how his stomach twisted on itself.  No one could know. No one could talk about it. “Please.”

“Oh, fine.”  Lance dropped his head over the back of the chair.  “I can keep a secret. I’m great at keeping secrets!  Tell me one secret I’ve told you.”

Shiro eyed him blandly.  “I’ve heard far more about your family’s inner drama than I asked about.”

That only earned him a flapped hand.  “Yeah, but that’s not real secrets. That’s family stuff.  But not actual _secret-secrets_.  You don’t know any of them, because I’m super good at it.”  Lance turned his head to eye Shiro seriously. “You sure about this?”

“Yes.”  Shiro’s shoulders slumped slightly.  “I’ve managed this long. I’m serious, Lance. Tell no one, not even Hunk.”

Lance’s face twisted as he chanced a look at Hunk, who was thankfully still engaged with the Princess.  By now, Pidge was dramatically flopped out on her back, clearly impatient to go back to their work rather than listen to more oblivious flirting.

“I can not tell Hunk things,” Lance said, though it sounded shakier.  “Really, I can. But I don’t need to! Shiro, dude, this is the perfect chance.  Just go for it.”

Shiro stared at Lance.

Then, slowly, he lowered his head into his hands.  “Lance, don’t joke about this.”

“I’m not!  Make your move.  Kiss under the moonlight.  There’s two moons here, it’s twice as romantic!  All the better for being husbands.” Lance nudged him with an elbow.  “Make him swoon. Or you can swoon, if you’re into that.”

“That’s not better!”  Shiro winced, then glanced up at the rest of the room.  Pidge eyed them tiredly, then flopped her head back down.  No one else cared about his raised volume, even the guards.  “I can’t put him in a position where he thinks he has to go along with me for the mission, even when he’s not comfortable.”

Lance’s expression fell.  “Okay, yeah, maybe that’s not great.  So talk to him about it. You two have your own little whispered conversations all the time already.”

Shoulders slumped, Shiro sighed.  “It’s not going to work. He doesn’t- He’s not like me.”  Shiro winced, uncomfortably aware of everyone in the room.  

But it was true.  Keith barely tolerated this charade.  Their friendship was good, not second best.  Shiro was happy to spend the rest of his life by Keith’s side without changing anything.

It would be nice if Keith felt the same.  But after so many years, Shiro would have seen the signs.  It had been half a decade. If Keith didn’t want Shiro by now, he wasn’t going to.

Besides, wouldn’t it be cruel to ask Keith return his feelings?  Shiro was the one who always disappeared. Either by his own choices or against his will, Shiro kept leaving Keith.  

How much harder would that be if they were actually dating, not just friends?  Could Shiro justify causing Keith that kind of pain?

That wasn’t even touching the multitude of other reasons why not to date Shiro.  Some days it felt like he was a collection of anxieties and fears in a suit of armor.  He woke from nightmares on more nights than he slept through, and it wasn’t like they had time for proper dates.  Why even start something?

None of that was something Shiro could have found the words for, even if they’d been free to talk.

Lance let out his breath and squeezed Shiro’s arm.  “Shiro, dude, you know you’re a catch, right?”

“Lance-”

“I don’t care about whatever stupid objection you’re about to have.  You’re great, and Keith is a lucky guy.” Lance used the grip to rock Shiro to the side.  “I think you’ll be surprised. And I think even if it doesn’t work out, it won’t change anything.  You two are so strong together. Honesty only helps.”

Shiro’s heart swelled his his chest, like a dry sponge finally fed water.  Hope.

Lance was so sure.  So calm. But he wasn’t the one who could lose everything.  

“I don’t- thank you.  But either way, now isn’t the time.”  Shiro folded his hands in his lap and refused to look at Lance.

“Maybe.  Or maybe it’s the best time.  How many chances like this are you going to get?”  Lance’s tone was unusually serious. “You don’t know what’ll happen tomorrow, or next week, or next month.  If you don’t say it now, you might not be able to later, you know?”

Did Shiro want to die without telling Keith?

Did Shiro want Keith to die without knowing how Shiro felt?

Maybe it would be better that way.

But Shiro would absolutely regret it.

“There’ll be a better moment,” Shiro hedged.  He leaned back away from the sincerity and light that Lance was putting off like a lamp.  “But thank you. That’s a good way of thinking about it.”

Lance’s gaze went sly.  “A better moment? Gotcha.  Okay. I can work with that.”

Work with-

Oh, boy.  “Lance, don’t-”

“Do we need to go get ready for dinner?  We still need to get the outfits.” Lance hopped to his feet, ignoring Shiro’s protests.  “Hunk, Pidge! Time to dress up and look sharp.”

“Better than this.”  Pidge pushed herself to her feet and wiped her greasy hands on her clothes.  “Alright, yeah. Hunk?”

Hunk nodded to her, then offered Oylt a shining smile.  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay? We can talk more about this. We have some similar machines on Earth I think you’ll find interesting.”

“Lovely,” Oylt replied, and managed to even sound sincere.  “I should prepare as well.”

Shiro opened his mouth, then shut up.  Now that everyone was paying attention, he couldn’t grill Lance for whatever idea he had.

Later.  Once they were about to head out.

Besides, it wasn’t like Lance would jeopardize the mission.  What was the worst he could do?


	3. Who am I to Keep You Down

Shiro frowned at the mirror as he smoothed out the shoulders of his outfit.  It was odd to see himself in anything other than the clothes he’d borrowed from Keith’s cabin or the armor.  Nice, but strange. His shirt was definitely Altean make, a dark silver with accents in purple and black. The blocky panels weren’t a choice he would have made for himself, but it did serve to make them a cohesive unit.  He did find the on-the-nose color choices silly, but they wanted to be identifiable at a glance. They were here to make a good impression after all.

Turning in place, Shiro considered the short, black cape that clipped to the back of the shoulders.  He’d been nervous of it when Allura presented his outfit, but honestly, it looked nice. Nothing he’d want to wear into combat, obviously.  But it emphasized each movement and there was a subtle pattern to the fabric that he enjoyed. 

Wearing this, Shiro felt like a character in a fantasy novel, and he couldn’t say he minded.

As Shiro turned again, his new ring caught the light.  The unassuming metal, worn down from false age, looked like it had survived everything Shiro had.  There was no way he would have gotten through the arena with it. The Galra would have taken it from him, just like they’d taken everything else.

It was a nice thought anway.

Shiro ran his other thumb along the ring’s edge.  It was warm from his own body heat, and pleasant to play with.  If it stayed for longer, Shiro could see him getting in the habit of fidgeting with it.

The ring was going to be gone in a few days at the most.  Maybe tomorrow, if everything went as planned.

For Keith’s sake, Shiro hoped this mission would end soon.  But he would miss the weight of this ring on his finger. He would miss the sight of it on Keith’s finger even more.

Slowly, idly, he brought it to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to the metal.

Then Shiro dropped his hand, stomach churning.  What was wrong with him? He was better than this.  This was a charade, nothing more than a lie to please the strange traditions of a stubborn alien race.  It was stupid to get attached or start acting creepy.

“Get your shit together, Shirogane.”  Shiro eyed his reflection darkly. “Now’s not the time to lose it.”

Then, with a last fortifying breath, he stepped outside his door and made his way to the castle entrance.  He walked quickly, as if he could outrun his own thoughts if he got away from the mirror fast enough.

Allura was already at the doorway, decked out in a fancier version of her typical gown.  Her hair was braided up elaborately, with strands of beads twisted in. From the mish-mashed colors and shapes of the decorations, Shiro suspected the mice had been involved in the decision.  

Next to her, Lance practically bounced on his toes, making his own cape flutter excitedly.  He was speaking to Coran, whose hair was slicked back and his usual outfit had been replaced by one in darker blues.  What looked like old ribbons or accolades were attached to his chest. Curiosity tugged at Shiro, and he resolved to ask Coran about them later.

It was nice to see everyone dressed up.  Normally they used their armor for these events, but they needed to literally dress to impress tonight.  And so far, everyone was living up to that.

“Hello, Princess,” Shiro greeted, offering a smile.  “I feel like I should be bowing or kissing your hand today.”

Allura’s brows rose.  “Why would you do either of those things?”

Shiro’s warm expression faltered. “Oh.  Those are traditions for greeting royalty on Earth, that’s all.”

“Ah.  Well, no need, but appreciated.”  Allura gave him an idle pat on the shoulder.  “The outfit suits you. Silver was a good choice.  Have you seen the other three, yet?”

Shiro’s spine straightened at the compliment.  Despite everything, it was still nice to have a very beautiful princess tell him that he cleaned up nicely.  Besides, looking good was the entire point of the evening. “Thank you. I like the beads. It gives your look some individual personality.  And no, I didn’t see anyone on the way. I assume they’re coming. Should we be fashionably late, or do I need to go get them?”

Flushing, Allura ran her fingers along the strands in her hair.  “Yes, I like it too. We can be a little late for this, but I wouldn’t advise waiting too long.  We can give them a moment to- ah, speaking of.”

Pidge and Hunk’s voices reached them before they actually appeared down the hall.  “I’m just saying it’s a back-up plan, is all,” Pidge said.

Hunk snorted as they came around the corner.  He wore pale golds and bronze, but without his usual headband.  Without it, his bangs curled into his face, making him look older.  His cape was bright yellow, and somehow managed to get itself twisted already.  “I don’t think it’s a great idea when they try to contact us again and it turns out we turned their computer into a slush fund.”

“Yeah, well, if they don’t agree to help fund the coalition, I don’t know how much we’ll be talking to them at all.”  Pidge gave the group an idle wave, smiling. She wore the same pants and shirt outfit as the rest of the paladins, but in white with deep green accents.  Her cape was the same length as Shiro’s, and reached past her knees in comparison. “Hey, sorry, we got caught up talking. And Hunk took forever to get ready.”

That earned her a scowl.  “The stupid cape doesn’t want to lay flat,” Hunk muttered.  “I don’t even see why we have those. They’re going to get caught in doors.”

“Not if you’re careful,” Allura said, brows up.  

Shiro smiled gently and stepped over to unclip Hunk’s cape.  He twisted it until it laid properly flat before he reattached it, smoothing over his back.  “If you move slowly it shouldn’t get too far from you. If it gets in your way, you can take it off later, alright?  Let’s make a good impression first.”

“Ugh.”  Hunk made a face but didn’t further protest as Shiro fussed.

“You want to lick a napkin and clean his face off, next?”  Pidge grinned openly at him, her arms crossed.

Shiro scowled back.  “I could have not helped.  You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Thank you, Shiro,” Hunk repeated back dutifully, rolling his eyes.  “You know, stuff like this is why you can’t complain when you get called ‘Dad.’”

“Watch me.”  Shiro rolled his eyes right back.  “I wouldn’t have to if you would do things properly.”

The sound of a cleared throat made them all look back.  Lance stepped forward, hands folded behind him in a way that might have been casual if he was anyone else.  “Did you guys see Keith, yet?” He glanced at Shiro, lips quirked up.

Uh oh.

“No,” Pidge said, drawing the word out.  “Guess he was still getting ready. Why?”

Lance shrugged, just as elaborately casual as before.  “Oh, no reason. We should get going, right? Besides, he’s leaving his husband out in the cold waiting.  It’s very rude” He looked Shiro over, tapping his finger on his jaw thoughtfully. “Though it does give us a little time.  Coran, do you have one of those little packets for your hair?”

Brows up, Coran obligingly pulled out a couple of foil packets from his pocket and handed one over to Lance.  “A few in case the hold fades during the party. Why?”

“Thanks.”  Lance took it, then crooked a finger at Shiro.  “C’mere and bend down.”

Shiro arched his brows, deeply suspicious at whatever Lance was planning.  But he only got an impatient brow in return, so he sighed. “If you make me look ridiculous then I’ll be upset with you.”  Despite his warning, he ducked his head down so that Lance could reach his hair.

“A little faith, please.  I know what I’m doing. Look at me.”  Lance gestured toward his own face, then ripped open the packet and squeezed something clear into his hands.  Then he worked it into the longest hair at the top of Shiro’s head, including his bangs. He spent a solid minute styling, then pulled back.  “Yeah, that’ll do.”

Brows up, Shiro turned to Allura.  “Do I have a mohawk?”

Allura tilted her head.  “I don’t know what that is.”

“Why would Lance give you a mohawk?”

Shiro’s heart caught at the sound of Keith’s voice.  He straightened up, hands at his side like he was a cadet being caught up to mischief, and looked over.

It was the same Altean-style outfit that everyone wore, but in black with red and white accents.  The wide shoulders of the shirt emphasized the fuller frame that Keith had grown into, and the dark tones made his eye color visible across the room.  His red cape spilled down over his back, fluttering like he’d just taken a step. Keith had gone the extra step to strap his Marmora blade to his hip, unlike relying on his bayard.  His hand rested on the hilt, and the ring caught the light just enough to glimmer.

He looked like a knight out of a fantasy movie.

Turned out that Shiro was very into that.  His mouth went dry, and his heart took up residence in his throat.

When Shiro turned, Keith’s eyes widened.  His gaze flickered from the newly styled hair, down to Shiro’s shoulders, and settled on his hand.  He looked surprised, somehow, like Shiro’s outfit was unexpected.

If Shiro actually had a mohawk, he was going to  _ kill _ Lance.

“Oh,” Keith finally said, brows up.  “That’s not bad.”

Okay, no, Shiro owed Lance one.

Reaching up, Shiro brushed his fingers over where his bangs usually would fall.  His hair felt a bit wet from the styling gel still, but the slicked back hair was holding strong.  “Yeah?”

“A bit weird to see you without bangs,” Pidge offered cheerfully, either oblivious to Shiro’s growing flush or purposefully ignoring it. 

Hunk glanced between them both, brow furrowed.  Then he looked back at Lance, an open question in the tilt of his head.  There was no verbal response, but whatever face Lance must have given only made Hunk look more curious.

That should have worried Shiro.  It would later tonight. But right now he was too busy trying to suppress his blush at Keith’s stare.  Shiro couldn’t move at all, locked in place by Keith’s approval and his clenching heart.

Clearing her throat, Allura stepped forward.  “Now that we’re all here, are we ready to go?”

Ah, right.  This wasn’t dress up for Shiro’s unrealized fantasy.  “Yes, I think we should.” Then he offered his arm to Keith.

There was a long pause that didn’t quite feel like reluctance.  Then Keith slid his hand through Shiro’s crooked elbow. A tiny, pleased smile crossed his lips.  “Yeah. Let’s go. Sorry to hold you up.”

“No problem.”  Then, buoyed by Keith’s earlier compliment, Shiro looked him up and down.  “It must have taken time to look that good.”

Keith’s eyes went wide.  But then he narrowed them and tilted his head.  “Then why were you out first?”

Shiro bit the inside of his cheek to keep from flushing or gaping.  

Was that- 

Were they really flirting?

It had to be to get in character. It  _ had _ to be.  But they were in private, and Keith’s eyes were liquid and warm as he smiled at Shiro.

Shiro swallowed back against the giddy pleasure.  There was no sense letting himself get excited about something he knew wasn’t real.  It would only hurt later.

“I got started before you,” Shiro finally replied, which was true.  Keith, Allura and Coran had kept working on their budget for longer than it had taken Shiro to speak with the tech team.  “We should get out there.”

Keith nodded back, some of the pleasure falling away from his face.  Before Shiro could figure out why, he looked ahead. “Are you ready for this?”

No.  “Of course.”  Shiro rested his hand over Keith’s forearm, looking him over with honest concern.  “Are you?”

Glancing over, Keith’s eyes warmed.  “Yeah.” Then his voice lowered, until no one else could hear.  “You make it easier.”

Shiro smiled back, utterly helpless, as they followed Allura and Coran out of the castle and toward the palace.  “I’m glad.” Then his lips curled up impishly. “I hope to make the dancing easier too.”

Keith groaned, playfully dismayed.  It was a familiar complaint that only made Shiro smile wider.

He had one night.  One night of dancing, kissing, holding, and smiling together.

Shiro would get his fill tonight.  It would be enough to satisfy him for a lifetime.

***

The ballroom was full of movement.  

Dozens of Kavinun had packed themselves into the grand room, mingling together and enjoying both food and dance.  The effect of their large form and metallic bodies gave a sense that normally decorative statues had come alive at night to have a dance of their own.  The chatter and din of the crowd was remarkably jovial, given the borderline hostile tone of the talks yesterday.

Then again, being aggressive and forward during negotiations was a good way of trying to control the conversation.  As much as these beings were glad to be safe from the Galra, they'd be more glad to keep their wealth while doing so.

Shiro lazily surveyed over the room, keeping watch over where his team was.  He didn't think there was any danger - if he suspected foul play at all, he would have never stepped foot outside the castle without his armor.  But experience and hard-won habit had taught him to be vigilant over those under his command.

On one side of the room, Hunk and Pidge had taken vigil over the snack table.  They were playing their usual game of trying out each food individually. Hunk had a wide appreciation for tastes and textures, so long as they were well prepared, while Pidge was a notoriously picky eater.  Watching them play off each other was always fun, from the way Hunk's hands would wave through the air as he tried to explain something, to Pidge's scrunched up, stubborn expression.

Not far from them, the Kavinun princess stood by her father, back straight and chin held high.  But her eyes kept daring over, and he suspected she'd be having much more fun with the paladins than any stuffy nobles.

Both Alteans were with the king and princess, being introduced to nearly everyone at the party.  They looked perfectly comfortable as they shook hands and chatted, though Allura's eyes did the same team-search movement that Shiro was currently doing.  

Normally, Shiro would be with them.  Tonight, though, he had a different goal.

Lance hovered on the other edge of the food table, bobbing up and down on his feet as he listened to the music.  This particular genre, close as it was to classical, didn't seem like Lance’s taste. But he was gamely nodding along, eyes sharp as he looked over the crowd.  At first, it seemed like he was searching for a partner, but if so he was in the wrong spot. There was a sitting area of what looked like single Kavinun, who were waiting for anyone interested in dancing.  Instead, Lance eyes kept darting to Allura and Coran, then to the royals, the head of security, the financier...

Lance was watching the members of the negotiations.  Good for him.

Catching Shiro's eye, Lance’s grin went sly.  He gave a thumbs up and an encouraging nod.

Which reminded Shiro what he was doing and with who.

He and Keith were dancing.

Keith clutched at Shiro’s left hand, other hand on his waist.  He kept his head down as he watched his feet, a deep furrow to his brow and a flush travelling from his nose to his ears.  They were so close that Shiro could feel his body heat, even through both their clothes.

It was far from the most graceful dance Shiro had ever enjoyed.  This wasn’t Keith’s comfort zone, and they were in the center of the dance floor, attracting all sorts of attention.

Which was the point, yes, but Shiro’s heart still went out to him.  He’d hate to be learning in full view of everyone.

Despite that, Shiro couldn’t help greedily taking in every detail.  This was Keith, in his arms, tucked against his chest. Dancing. With  _ him. _  The lazy pace of the music gave them ample time to brush against each other.  Shiro closed his eyes, trying to memorize the feeling of being so close. 

This was another moment that would live on in his heart.  A memory to take out and examine when the nights were cold and full of nightmares.  A charm to banish Shiro’s demons, if only for a couple of minutes.

Keith never had to know how much Shiro relied on these moments.  The image of him, nose crinkled, bottom lip worried between his teeth would be Shiro’s to keep.

The song ended, to a round of polite applause.  Keith's head picked up and his frown deepened as he watched the band prepare their next piece.  "I don't think I'm getting this. I'm not a dancer."

"You're doing fine," Shiro reassured.  Despite that, he gave a slightly awkward grin, which only made Keith blush darker.

Really, Keith wasn't doing badly.  But he wouldn't stop watching their feet, which was making him miss cues and obsess rather than move with the music. Keith was body smart.  He picked up counters and throws like they came pre-coded into his software. He could drive just about anything, given an hour to practice, and he was incredibly fast.

Sighing, Keith watched the other couples around them, who were already beginning to ease into the next dance.  It was similar to a waltz, though with stiff, jerky movements. It made the metalic beings around them eerily robotic.  "We're not making a good impression like this. Maybe we should stop and get food."

"We can if you want to," Shiro said.  "But, honestly, the point isn't to be amazing dancers.  It's to showcase our love." He over-enunciated the last word, not enough to alert any listeners, but obvious enough for Keith to notice his sarcasm.

That finally earned him a smile.  "Yeah, maybe. I feel like an idiot.  You picked it up immediately, you jerk."

"I like dancing."  Shiro shrugged easily, turning them both in time with the rest of the crowd, right on the elongated note that all this culture's songs.  Keith reacted half a second too late, stumbling to catch up rather than just stepping. "You can do this. Millions of people do this on Earth.  Billions and trillions in the wider galaxy. I know you aren't clumsy."

Keith scowled back and looked down again.  "Easy for you to say."

Okay, enough of this.  Shiro let go of Keith's hand so he could slide his fingers under his chin.  He pushed up gently, forcing Keith to look up and meet his eyes. "Stop hyper-focusing.  You're freaking yourself out and over thinking it. Intuitive movement. Go with it. I know you can, Red Paladin."

Keith's eyes shone, his eyes catching the light of the chandelier above.  His breathing hitched, and his mouth fell open in surprise.

It made Shiro's heart pound.  This was probably a step too far, too corny for Keith's tastes.  But he couldn't pull back now, not when anyone could be watching.  Even without glancing over, Shiro swore he could feel Allura and the king's eyes on them, waiting for more.

So Shiro gave Keith a quick flash of a grin, the only apology he could manage, then kissed him.

The press of their lips was soft, even chaste.  Barely more than a brush. Shiro could feel the slight indent and heat from where Keith had bitten his lip in concentration, and Keith's breath puffed out over his mouth.  Even that gentle slide sent an aching need through Shiro, like being misted with water when he needed a drink.

Keith's fingers dug into Shiro’s hip, the nails almost managing to bite through the Altean fabric.  There was a tiny vibration, like he'd started to vocalize but stopped himself.

Then Keith pulled back, mouth hanging open.  "Oh."

Shiro's eyes didn't leave his lips.  He licked his own, chasing the leftover heat and sensation.  "Yeah."

There was a long pause, where neither of them said anything, just continued to move with the music.  Shiro's heart pounded, not sure how to take Keith's reaction. He might have honestly liked it, not tolerated it for the show.

Normally, the possibility would be absurd.  They'd had years of friendship for Keith to ever signal his interest, after all.  Like he’d tried to vocalize to Lance, Shiro was in no place to date. He was so busy.  Even when he did have time, between his flashbacks, his scars, his everything, what did Shiro have to offer?

But looking at Keith’s glazed, heated eyes, and the hint of a smile to his lips, Shiro thought  _ 'maybe'. _  He spoke Keith-Language, and this wasn’t faked.  This wasn’t the charade. This was Keith, honestly affected by Shiro’s kiss.

His pulse pounded in his ear as hope tentatively swelled up in him.

This was going to hurt.  Shiro knew better than to let his desires color what he saw.

But  _ maybe. _

After several seconds of silence, Shiro finally smiled.  "Hey, Keith."

"Huh?"

"You're dancing."

Keith startled, then looked down.  Indeed, they had continued to dance with the crowd, keeping up the basic steps even during their kiss and subsequent staring contest.  "Oh."

Of course, the second he watched his feet again, he stumbled and lost the rhythm.

Shiro put his hand on the small of Keith's back and tugged him forward, until they were flush.  "Stop that. You were just doing it perfectly. If you keep thinking you're bad at it, you'll stumble.  Relax."

There was a pause, then Keith put his head on Shiro's chest.  He fit in perfectly, tucked in right under his chin.

Could he hear Shiro's pounding heartbeat?  Would he realize how Shiro felt, or assume it was just from the physical effort of dancing?

"Yeah, telling me not to think about it is going to work," Keith muttered, half into Shiro's shirt.  "That's how it works. Don't think about elephants."

"How about I think about hippos?"

"How about you think about that video of that dog in a bowtie giving high fives?"

Shiro let out a soft, breathy noise.  "Oh. I haven't thought about that one in forever.  He was such a sweetheart."

Chuckling, Keith leaned more heavily against Shiro.  He squeezed Shiro's hand tighter in his. "You're such a bleeding heart."

"I like strays.  I took you in, didn't I?"  Shiro smiled softly down at the top of Keith's head. 

There was no response, but Keith leaned in even more heavily.

Meanwhile, they kept up their slow, steady pace.  Now that Keith wasn't obsessing, he kept up fine with everyone else.

Once Shiro was sure Keith had it, he smiled and tightened his hand on his back.  "Hey, when I say go, pick up your legs and lean in, okay?"

Keith's head cocked to the side, but he nodded.  "Alright."

Smiling, Shiro spread his fingers wide to cover as much of Keith's back as he could.  "Go." With that, he pulled Keith up and used his strength to brace him against his chest.  Once Keith's feet were up, he was able to neatly support his whole body weight.

(Artwork by [Seiteki9](http://seiteki9.tumblr.com/))

Then he spun them both in smooth circles, until both their capes flew out behind him.  Keith gripped onto him and let out a gasp as he was held in the air the whole time.

After a few rounds, Shiro slowed and leaned forward, so Keith could put his feet back down.  "That went well."

"You could have dropped me."  But despite his protest, Keith was beaming as he picked his head up to look at Shiro.  The flush was back, this time complimented by his messier hair and rumbled clothing.

He looked damn good.  

Close enough to kiss again, too.  Not for the audience, but just for them.

Shiro's heart pounded as he met Keith's eyes, his breath caught in his throat.  

This felt important.  This felt huge. The verge of something dangerous but incredible, like the countdown before a launch.

It could change everything. 

Shiro let out a shaky breath.

Then he pulled back and let go of Keith.  The air felt colder the farther away he was from Keith, and it ached like going outside in a snowstorm.

"I need a drink," Shiro said, his voice rough.  "My throat feels like sandpaper. Want me to get you something?"

"Ah..."  Keith blinked rapidly, like he was having trouble focusing.  His shoulders slumped and his hands fell to his side. "Yeah.  That'd be good. I can get it."

Shiro gave a smile he hoped was convincing and not edged with panic.  "I need a moment." Then, because Keith looked confused and maybe a little hurt, he continued.  "Lots of people very close. You know."

Looking around at the milling crowd of dancers, Keith's eyes went wide.  Then his whole expression softened. "Yeah. Of course. Take a minute. I'll be... I guess right here?"  He looked around to make sure he wasn't in anyone's path, then nodded. "Yeah, here."

"Thanks."  Shiro's stomach flipped at how easily and readily Keith believed him.  Of course he did. Keith was beyond supportive of Shiro's problems, from flashbacks to anxious evenings.  He was doing the right thing. Shiro was the asshole for using his PTSD as an excuse.

He didn't want to hurt Keith's feelings.  Or admit everything and maybe ruin the one relationship he needed most.

So Shiro offered one more smile, then walked back in a haze toward the snack table.  He nearly walked into two Kavinun on the way, earning him peevish looks. He barely noticed them as he half-stumbled his way to the punch table and grabbed a cup.

"Hey, Romeo."

Shiro nearly jumped out of his skin.  It was a good thing he hadn't managed to get any liquid in his cup, yet, or else it would be all over his shirt.  Whirling, he narrowed his eyes at Lance. "Please don't sneak up on me."

Lance's brows rose.  "I wasn't sneaking anywhere, thanks so much.  You didn't hear me in your love haze." He elbowed Shiro on the side, grinning like a fiend.  "How's it going? You were pretty cozy, there."

"Yes, we're married," Shiro replied, voice tight.  His eyes darted around, but none of the Kavinun were paying them any mind.  "Being cozy is usually expected under those circumstances."

Lance stuck out his bottom lip, but nodded.  "Well, yeah. I just mean you guys looked like you were having fun.  Especially toward the end there. Cute spin, by the way. Remind me to try that sometime."

"Good luck picking someone you can actually lift."

That made Lance's mouth fall open.  "Hey! I'm strong too. Look at these guns."  He flexed his arm, which did indeed have some corded muscle, despite Lance's lanky frame.  "I keep up with you guys fine."

Shiro softened and nodded.  "You do. I wasn't trying imply otherwise."  He glanced back at where Keith was still standing, awkward and out of place alone on the dance floor.  His heart twisted with guilt as he reached for the drink ladle. 

Following his gaze, Lance tilted his head, then narrowed his eyes at Shiro.  "What are you doing over here, anyway?"

"Getting a drink."  Shiro lifted his half-full cup.  "See? Thirsty."

He realized his mistake too late.  Lance's eyes flashed, and his grin grew wicked.  "I bet you are. You look  _ very _ thirsty, my man."

_ "Lance." _

"Just saying."  Lance waggled his brows playfully as he leaned back against the table.  "Alright, getting a drink for you and your husband? Nah, I get it. It's pretty smooth.  A good move. Gentlemanly, that's your flavor." He looked Shiro up and down, eyes far too sharp again, like when he'd seen through Shiro yesterday.  "Definitely not nervous or second guessing yourself."

Shiro said nothing.  He kept his head down toward the table and tried not to crush the flimsy cup in his grip.

"Shiro.  You know who you are, right?  You're  _ Takashi freaking Shirogane. _  You're a badass, and the Black Paladin, and an overall cool guy."  Lance stepped in closer and smoothed out Shiro's wayward cape. "And most of all, Keith adores you.  It's obvious to everyone how much he cares. So much so that even a roomful of aliens think you're precious."

Shiro took a deep breath.  He couldn't deny that in public, which was probably part of Lance's strategy.  

Luckily, Lance didn't seem to need a response.  He patted Shiro's fixed cape, then filled up a second cup.  He handed it to Shiro. "Go back to Keith, man. Don't run away.  Trust your instincts, 'cause we do, and go back to literally sweeping your husband off your feet.  I know what I'm talking about."

"I-"  Shiro took the cup numbly, then looked back one more time.

Keith was watching, eyes clear and direct on Shiro, even from across the room.  When he noticed Shiro's gaze, he smiled, awkward but mostly warm.

_ Maybe. _

"Yeah," he finally replied.  "Okay. Yeah. You're right. We should talk."

That wasn’t the same as believing Lance.  Shiro wouldn’t go that far. But maybe he could be open to the discussion.

"That's my boy."  Lance patted Shiro on the arm like an indulgent grandmother.  "Those big double doors lead to some little balconies. I bet one of them is empty."

That was a good idea.  It wouldn't be perfect privacy, but it would be better.  Enough for them to be just them, and not a married couple for the eyes of the Kavinun.

Shiro nodded slowly, still not looking away from Keith.  "Good idea." Then, he finally broke his gaze away to smile at Lance.  "Thanks. I appreciate you talking me up."

"Told you I'd be your wingman."  Lance gave him double finger guns.  "Now go. Seriously. Maybe he'll be more mellow if he gets laid tonight.  I can dream, right?"

The tease was mild, so Shiro let it go.  Instead he smiled softly. "I hope he’s not."

Then, carrying both cups tightly, he weaved through the crowd to get to Keith.  He was greeted by a warm, relieved smile.

"That took a while," Keith said, taking his cup.  "What did Lance want?"

"Mostly to tease," Shiro admitted.  "But he mentioned the balconies. Want to take these out there?  It'd be nice to get some air."

Keith sipped his cup and glanced around the room.  "Should we? We're supposed to be visible." Despite that, he was hopeful.  Clearly, he liked the idea.

Shiro didn't look away, instead watching Keith's face.  His heart rate spiked again, so powerful it felt like it was impacting on his rib cage.  "Just for a few minutes. Enough for a drink." He held out his free hand in offer.

Taking it, Keith laced their fingers together, astonishingly casual.  Like it was nothing to slide his palm against Shiro’s.

_ Maybe.  _

Together, they walked to one of several sets of clear double doors.  The balcony on the outside was made of the same marble as the palace floors, which melded seamlessly with the railing.  There were a few statues as well, depicting what looked like local fauna, along with a small table with three chairs. Both moons were high in the air and nearly full, lighting the balcony fully.

Shiro opened the door for Keith and gestured him in, then carefully shut it behind them.  Immediately, the noise of the party muffled until it was white noise. "That's better."

"It really is."  Keith considered the doors, then pulled the decorate drapes back and away.  It made them more visible to everyone inside, while still being on their own.  "There. Now no one can complain."

It ruined some of the solitude that Shiro had wanted, but not enough to complain.  Besides, he didn't want someone sticking their head in to tell them to go back inside.  Not in the middle of this. So he came up and put his hand on Keith's shoulder, squeezing gently.  "It's nice to get a break, though. Even on the castle, we don't spend as much time together as we used to."

Keith turned and faced him.  "We're busier than we were. Not that you weren't constantly busy at the Garrison."  He tilted his head, a smirk pulling at his lips.

The familiar complaint only made Shiro roll his eyes.  "I had things to do. If I wanted to go on the Kerberos mission, there were people I had to impress.  But I was better about taking downtime, then. I'm sorry I've neglected you in the meantime."

"I'm not neglected," Keith said.  He held his chin up high, eyes clear.  "I like having you around, but us together?  It's not something you have to feel like it's another chore or obligation.  You have enough of those. I want you to be there because you want to, not because you owe me my designated time."

Shiro's heart clenched.  He reached up and brushed Keith's hair out of his face, using the left hand so he could feel the texture of his skin.  "It's not. I promise."

"Good."  Keith relaxed, smiling softly.  "Just making sure."

The conversation trailed, leaving them in comfortable silence, only interrupted by the very faint, muffled voices of the crowd and the barely audible music.

If there was ever a moment, ever a chance, ever a time Shiro felt like he could do this, now was it.

Shiro stepped in closer, putting his hand on Keith's hip again.  Then he drained his cup and set it down on the table. "Want to keep dancing, now that there's no one to bump into?"

"Hey, I didn’t hit anyone.  I didn't even step on your toes."  Despite that, Keith put his drink aside as well.  He took Shiro's hand in his, then put his other on Shiro's waist.  "But alright, sure. Lead on."

This time, it was easier to find their rhythm.  The music was quiet, but they only needed it to keep time, really.  Now that there was no audience and Keith was more confident, he glided smoothly and they spun slowly around the balcony.

"You really are good at this.  I'm not surprised, but I'm a little jealous.  I had to work to get this good,” Shiro said.

Keith smiled back, not even flushing at the compliment.  "You taught me well. You were right, I was psyching myself out.  I should go for it more often."

"Wise words.  Maybe you should be giving the pep talks from now on."  Shiro cocked his head to the side, indicating the door. "I'll take a break, and you can rally everyone's spirits."

"Not a chance."

Shiro smiled, continuing to spin them around.  Their cloaks flowed with them, more gently than before, and their dress boots made a pleasant clacking sound on every step.

‘Just go for it.’

It was good advice.

Maybe, just this once, Shiro should trust his heart and go for what he wanted.

Meeting Keith's eyes, Shiro tilted his head and pulled him in closer, until they were flush again.  Keith went willingly, his head tilted up, eyes clear and bright. His lips parted, breathing ghosting over Shiro's jaw.

"Keith," Shiro murmured, raw and open.  No longer part of their game. Just them, in this moment, on this balcony.

He leaned forward-

Only for Keith to pull back, a hand on his chest.  "Shiro, wait. No."

Shiro froze.

His heart froze as well, ice growing through his veins.  Shiro went numb, starting from his chest and working outward, until the tips of his fingers tinged.

He'd thought-

Wrong.

Oh, he should never have listened to Lance, or his stupid, treacherous heart.  What had he been thinking?

"Yes?" Shiro asked, trying to keep his voice even and calm.  Despite that, his left hand shook on Keith's waist.

Keith winced, then swallowed hard.  "I think this is a bad idea. I don't want anything to get... mixed up.  You know?"

Shiro's heart fell, crashing down to the cold marble below them.

_ Wrong. _

He’d been so stupid to let himself hope.

"I do.  Of course.  My mistake."  Shiro dropped his hands and clenched them to hide the shiver.  "It was just..."

Wincing, Keith nodded.  "I get it. I don't want there to be any mixed-up signals here.  We can talk about this later, okay?"

"I understand completely."  The words came out without Shiro's input.  He was operating on autopilot, responding through numb lips.

Shiro had been wrong.  He'd been so wrong. And Keith was being graceful now, when someone could be watching, but later might be different.  Later would be Keith politely reminding Shiro he was a friend, a best friend, nothing like that. He was going to pull back, trying not to lead Shiro on, convinced he'd given a wrong signal somewhere and he was to blame.  They'd lose their close friendship.

This was over.

It was all Shiro's fault.

Keith stepped back and took a deep breath.  Then he snatched his cup off the table. "I'm going to get a refill.  You want one?"

"No," Shiro replied, still barely hearing his own words.  He was too busy contemplating a life ahead of him, now without Keith's close friendship.  "But I think I'm going to head inside. We've been out here long enough." This stupid, pseudo-intimate false-privacy that had given Shiro the courage to try.  He never wanted to be tempted again. He never wanted to see this stupid balcony again, either.

Keith nodded.  "Yeah. Uh, more dancing, then?"

No.  Shiro’s heart couldn’t take that.  "I'm actually going to go with Allura and Coran.  They could probably use someone to help out so they can eat and drink too.  The rest of the team is probably still by the table if you want to stay with them."

It was a clear dismissal.  Keith looked Shiro over, concern darkening his eyes.  "Shiro, are you okay?"

Was he okay?  No, he wasn't.  His heart had been dashed against the floor, and Keith was so casual.  So easy. Did he not realize how wrong this had gone? Did he think this was a passing fancy, a silly impulse of the moment?  The fake kisses playing at being real for just one, silly moment, like Shiro had lost track?

That was good.  It was better for him to think that way.  If it kept Keith from freaking out and pulling back, it was the only option.

"Of course. Allura and Coran just shouldn’t do all the work.  I think we've put on enough of a show for now anyway." Shiro smiled at Keith, and almost made it feel real.  "We'll talk later, like you said."

"Yeah."  Keith hesitated, looking Shiro over.  His eyes fell on his lips and stuck there, and then he pulled away.  "That'll be good. Just when we get back to our rooms."

With that, Keith stepped through the doors again, leaving Shiro out in the open air.

Just go for it, huh?

What  _ bullshit. _


	4. Listen Carefully to the Sound

"Is everything alright?"

Shiro's shoulders locked up to keep himself from jolting.  He turned to look at King Eossi, whose head was tilted. His diamond eyes caught the candlelight around them, making it look like there were tiny flames trapped inside.  It was hard to tell without proper pupils and irises, but he seemed indulgent.

"Ah, yes."  Shiro straightened and nodded, though he didn't keep the confusion out of his voice.  He'd been perfectly polite and cordial to everyone he'd greeted and spoken with. Did Eossi think he held some sort of grudge toward everyone after today's talks?  Shiro knew better than that. Frustrated as he was at the lack of empathy for the coalition, he knew damn well how these negotiations went. "Was there something that concerned you?"

Eossi hummed and continued to stare.  "No, concern is too strong a word. I just noticed you'd left the side of your husband.  Until this party, you have rarely been apart for more than a handful of dobashes. But now you've come to meet more of my court and speak with them more informally, but Keith is not with us.  Is he feeling well?"

Despite himself, Shiro's eyes tracked over to the far corner of the ballroom.  Keith had taken up camp in one of the chairs, a plate of food in his hands. The seat was built for someone a solid two feet taller than him, so his feet hung off the side like a child.  Pidge was flopped out next to him, laying over two more chairs, and her legs draped over Keith's lap. Neither noted his stare as they chatted amicably.

When Shiro looked back, Eossi's hairless brows were raised.

"Nothing's wrong," Shiro said, his voice perfectly even and calm.  He was confident that no one would be able to tell how hard his stomach was twisting, or the squeezing pain around his heart.  "We finished dancing, and I felt the best use of my time was here. But Keith is... he's very good at the big picture, but small talk isn't his comfort zone.  So he decided to stay with the team instead. Despite claims otherwise, we're capable of spending time apart. Sometimes our jobs separate us for days at a time."

King Eossi's lips turned down, but he nodded slowly.  "That's unfortunate. It's obvious how much you care for each other, and how you enjoy each other's company."

Shiro’s heart clenched painfully.  But he only smiled back and shrugged.  "Yes, well, that's not life. At least, not ours.  It would be nice to spend a lifetime doing nothing but luxuriating in each other's presence, but neither of us would be happy that way.  He wouldn't be the man I married, and vice versa." 

“That must be hard,” Eossi said.

Resisting the urge to look back, Shiro ignored the pressure in his chest.  "This is what works for us. I don't want to change something that makes us both happy."  

If only Shiro had remembered that, instead of letting a romantic atmosphere and a charade blind him.

Eossi folded his hands behind him.  The gems in his robes glimmered in the dim lighting.  "A sad truth, yes. I had merely been concerned. When you came in after the balcony, you firmly separated yourselves."

Shit.  

It took physical effort not to let his eyes dart toward Allura.  He could still hear her talking to another noble, so he hoped she hadn't heard the comment.  They were professionals, and they were supposed to be acting like a doting married couple. But Shiro was running away, too scared to face the consequences of his actions, and Eossi had noticed.  

Shiro had fucked this up royally once again.  Now it was his job to fix it.

"Ah, you saw?"  Shiro cleared his throat and looked to the double doors across from them.  He leaned forward and lowered his voice, like he was sharing a secret. "We got a bit too... involved.  In the moment. After, we decided it would be wisest to spend time apart until we could get to a truly private location.  Kisses are one thing, but, well... There’s plenty that should remain between us."

God, that sounded so  _ sleazy. _  Shiro cringed to share a private conversation like that, even if it was a total lie.  With a stranger and a king no less.

There was a pause, and then Eossi burst into loud, deep chuckles.  "Ah! Yes, that does explain it." He patted Shiro on the back, the first time he'd touched any of them.  His skin was hard and cold to the touch, and he had enough strength to nearly knock Shiro off his feet. "Young love indeed.  I have said before that you act like an older couple, but in this way you have reminded me of your age."

Did he need to say that so loudly?  Shiro's cheeks burned and he cleared his throat.  Several other people were looking over now, including Allura, Coran, and the nobles they were speaking with.  "Yes, well, we want to remain professional. We're here for a job, after all."

Eossi nodded, his diamond eyes still sparkling wildly, more than they should have in the light of the room.  "Yes, that’s wise. I merely find it... nostalgic. For those days of youthful enthusiasm." 

As he spoke, Eossi’s eyes darted over to Princess Oylt.  She had cornered Hunk again, who was speaking with wild, eager hand-motions that nearly sloshed his drink.  She said something back that made Hunk throw his head back with laughter. Oylt's eyes went wide, and that same darker color bloomed over her cheeks, visible even across the room.  A soft smile curved over Eossi’s face as he watched.

Shiro's own expression softened as well, though his chest still ached from a wound that was bleeding poison into his veins.  Somehow, it was endearing to see the more innocent, low stakes version of his feelings playing out. "I understand."

"You don't suppose your Hunk might be interested in staying with us after the talks, would you?" Eossi drawled.  Despite his words, his smile and the tilt of his head were only teasing.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't bet on it, but nothing is impossible.  Love can make us defy expectations." Shiro's eyes slid to Keith again, then away before he could notice.

But Eossi had.  His smile was gentle as he patted Shiro between his shoulder blades.  "It does. Remember to treasure these times, Paladin. These moments are limited supply, and you will miss them when they're gone."

No kidding.  Shiro closed his eyes and swallowed hard.  He could deal with getting his heart broken, as silly as it had been to put it out there.  But he couldn't take was that he might well have ruined their friendship in the process.  Precious, perfect moments, a lifeline that kept him going. And he might have ended them on an impulse.

"I know," Shiro replied, his voice cracked and rough.  "I cherish each one."

Eossi patted again, satisfied.  "Good. Now, if you'd like, I believe the party is winding down.  I can show you all to your rooms, and you can have that private time you craved."

"Our rooms?"  Shiro turned, his voice raising slightly to attract the attention of the Alteans.  "You mean the castle? I appreciate the offer, but we've been walking back and forth already.  There's no need for you to take the time."

Freezing, Eossi's eyes went wide.  "No, I was referring to... were you not told?"  He looked to Allura and Coran as they started to make their way over.  "I had thought you were informed. Or perhaps it is so accepted for us that no one realized to say so."

"Of what, Your Highness?"  Allura asked, her brows raised.  Her eyes flickered to Shiro questioningly, and he only shrugged one shoulder.

Eossi sighed.  "Yes, clearly there's been a mistake.  But it was corrected before there could be any harm.  The insult to you would have been... well." He shook his head, then drew himself again, in all his kingly splendor.  "You are of course invited and encouraged to stay in our rooms after the evening's festivities. They are already made and prepared for you."

The Alteans shared a look, and then Coran cleared his head.  "We appreciate the invitation, of course. It's very kind of you.  But from the implications of the conversation, is there an expected answer?"

Eossi opened his mouth, then closed it.  "There is," he admitted slowly, like he was surprised he had to explain.  "To leave a room empty after it was prepared is considered rude to our people.  I understand that this may not be your custom, so if you have a need to stay at your castle, you may continue to do so."

Well, the king might understand, but the other nobles might not.  If they didn't spend the night, either Eossi didn't invite them to stay, which was an insult to them, or he did and they refused, which looked just as bad.

There were worse social cages than to be forced to stay in fancy palace rooms.  Even so, Shiro had been looking forward to some alone time in his own bed, once he and Keith cleared things up.  A chance to recharge after being part of a show for so long would be good for them both, but especially Keith.

They weren't going to get that chance.

Allura looked to Shiro one last time, in case he had some important objection.  But there was nothing he could offer on the fly that wouldn't sound like an excuse, so he nodded.

"We would be thrilled to accept your invitation, then," Allura agreed, offering a bright smile.  "Thank you, King Eossi. Your hospitality is gracious."

Waving her off, Eossi smiled.  "None of that, now. It would be remiss of me not to offer a place after such an event, especially when it's gone so late into the night.  Please, allow me to show you myself. I wish to know that your needs are comfortably met myself."

Now that was almost certainly a high honor. Shiro's brows rose, intrigued.  Eossi certainly had reason enough to keep them at arm's length, considering that their best interests were somewhat at odds.  But to see to their sleeping quarters himself, that likely lended a weight of his favor to negotiations.

A way of backing them without outright vocally supporting them in tomorrow's talks.

Interesting.

Shiro looked around.  The party around them was thinning as the night wore on.  More of the guards moved to stand by the doors, and members of the Kavinun would come to them, then be lead off.  So, yes, some unspoken cue had signaled the end of the party. 

Which meant there was no putting off the talks anymore.

"I can go get the team," Shiro offered, nodding toward the far wall.  "Just give me a moment."

Eossi inclined his head.  "There's no need to rush them, but that would be wise."

Yeah, because making the king of the planet wait around so they could snack more was a great look for everyone.  But Eossi was being polite, so Shiro bowed his head, intentionally lower than Eossi had. Then he made his way toward the others.

The prospect of facing Keith was still a touch too raw, so Shiro headed over to where Hunk and Lance were still speaking with the Princess.  "I'm sorry to interrupt," he called, doing exactly that.

Lance looked over from his mouthful of snack food, his eyes wide.  Then his whole expression went sly. "Oh, hey, Shiro. Have a good evening?"

The tone sent a spike of pain through Shiro's chest.  He nearly faltered, and closed his expression off farther before anything could show.  "It's been a lovely party. But it seems we're going to be staying in the palace tonight.  King Eossi was going to show us to our rooms."

Princess Oylt's head bobbed, confused.  "Of course you are. Why would you not? Is the palace not to your liking?"

"I mean, it's really shiny," Hunk said.  Then he paused, clutching his drink tighter.  "No, I mean, that's not a bad thing! It's awesome that it's shiny.  Really impressive. Very cool. That's not normal everywhere, you know?  Usually we stay in the castle after parties, just like there rest of the time.  No one said to us." He eyed Shiro pointedly, as if he should have told them earlier.

"I just found out myself," Shiro said back, utterly flat.  "Hunk is right that we weren’t told, but we're more than happy to accept the invitation.  I'm collecting everyone so we can head out." He nodded back to Allura and Coran, brows up pointedly.

Hunk drained the rest of his cup in one awkward gulp, then gave Shiro a thumbs up.  "Right, okay." He wiped the corner of his mouth, then gave the princess a wide grin.  "Thanks for talking to me for so long! It's great to hear more about your history and your court."  From the mischievous flush to his cheeks, that was probably code for 'gossip.'

"It was my pleasure," Oylt returned, smiling back.  "Perhaps there will be more time tomorrow."

Hunk beamed.  "That'd be awesome!"  He ducked his head to her, then waved and started off for where Allura and Coran were waiting for them.

Lance started to follow, giving a decidedly more awkward wave to Oylt, then elbowed Shiro on the way.  "Saw you out there, Casanova. Nicely done."

Clearly he hadn't seen enough.

Shiro closed his eyes tightly.  "Enough, Lance. Please."

The final tone hit home.  Lance's brows furrowed as he looked Shiro over, then glanced at Keith.  "Oh," he said, regret creeping into his tone. "You okay?"

"No reason not to be."  Shiro resisted the urge to look at Oylt to remind him why to choose his words carefully.  "I'll get Pidge and Keith. You go on ahead."

Lance opened his mouth, then let a sigh.  "Alright, man. Just-" He slammed his mouth shut, snorting like a bull, then nodded.  "Yeah. Okay." With that he went off, his cape flicking behind him with the force of his steps.

Which meant that Shiro had to face the music.

"Have a good evening, Princess."  Shiro smiled to Oylt, who returned the gesture easily.  Then he walked off to the back corner, jaw set and head held high.

Pidge and Keith must have been paying attention to the commotion, because by the time he got there, they were both sitting up and focusing on him.  "Time to go?" Pidge asked. "I have a project I want to get back to."

"Well, that's going to be on hold.  The king has invited us to stay here."  When Pidge opened her mouth, Shiro held up a hand.  "And it's insulting for us not to accept the rooms."

Groaning, Pidge slumped back in her chair.  "Really? Ughhh. Well, this is going to be a boring night.  I didn't bring anything to do."

"Guess you'll have to sleep."

Pidge's screwed up face said exactly what she thought about that.  Shiro chuckled, though his heart wasn't quite in it, as he ushered her to get up.

"How private are these rooms going to be?" Keith asked, to the point as usual.

Shiro hesitated only a moment before meeting his eyes.  The sharp throb in his chest was growing familiar, but no easier to deal with.  "Hard to say exactly. Probably somewhat. So long as we're not loud. Or no one is too curious."  Eavesdroppers were a possibility, but the doors were metal rather than wood, and therefore harder to hear through.  But that didn't stop the possibility of being bugged.

Brows up, Pidge frowned.  "I'll do a scan of my room.  If I find anything off, I'll knock on your door to let you know."

Without her full set of tools, that wasn't foolproof.  But it was good enough for now. So Shiro nodded to Pidge and offered a smile, because it was easier than meeting Keith's eyes right now.

Once both of them were up, they all joined the group, then followed King Eossi down the winding, shining hallways.  This late at night, the lights on the wall were fewer and dimmer, though there was still plenty to see by. The passed a couple of other guests being lead by guards, and each paused to stare at the procession.

Yeah, this was definitely a statement.  Shiro kept his eyes ahead and his head up, as though this was perfectly normal and expected and not a surprise boon.

They were finally lead to the end of a hallway, with a series of golden, shining doors.  "Here we are," Eossi declared, gesturing his huge hand grandly. "One for each of you. With one exception, of course."  He nodded to Shiro and Keith, smiling warmly.

Shiro snagged Keith's hand in his and squeezed, ignoring that Keith didn't return the gesture.  "We appreciate that you've taken the time to make these arrangements."

"Of course, of course."  Eossi waved them off like it was nothing, eyes still warm.  "The farthest room on the right is set up for two people, while the one on the left is made for royalty.  The rest of you may choose which room is to each of your liking."

"Thank you, King Eossi.  It's an honor to accept these rooms."  Allura just barely inclined her head, but her smile was soft.

Eossi repeated the gesture back.  "No trouble at all for such important guests.  Have a good evening." With that, he turned and left, a shining figure in the dim hallway until he left.

Immediately, there was a scramble as Pidge, Hunk and Lance all hurried to open up a room each.  "Oh, hey!" Lance pushed his door open, showing it was decorated almost entirely in deep greens and emeralds.  "Swanky."

Hunk paused in his, then wrinkled his nose.  "I'm not sure I want the room next to a married couple.  Someone want to trade?"

"Hunk," Shiro snapped out, rolling his eyes.  He dropped Keith's hand, then clenched it by his side, still able to feel the heat.

"I'm just saying!"

"I'll take it," Lance said.  "Yours is diamond? Finally, a room that deserves me."

Pidge snickered.  "You sure it's not quartz?"

Clearing his throat, Coran held up his hands until the bickering died down.  "Let's not forget that we're guests, please," he said, eyeing everyone in turn.  "And that this is not our castle, and we cannot treat it as thoughtlessly as we can our home."

Which sounded like 'don't be noisy and leave a mess', which it was, but also 'remember people can hear you and we need to keep up impressions.'

As if Shiro could forget.

Allura watched the chaos and scolding, a hint of a smirk on her lips.  "And try to sleep well. We have an early day tomorrow."

"We do," Shiro agreed.  "Good night, everyone. Let's do our best to wrap this up tomorrow."

There was a chorus of good nights as Shiro opened the door to his and Keith's shared room.  He held it open for Keith, which earned him a single, raised eyebrow. 

Then, they were alone.

The room was gorgeous.  Most of it was in silver, but there were dashes of rubies and deep red silks.  The lighting on the wall was warm, probably to compliment the decor, but Shiro was thankful.  Red could look too close to purple in the dark. The front section was a sitting room, including a large, stuffed couch and a shining chandelier above.  Behind that was the largest bed Shiro had ever seen.

Just one bed.

Right.  Married couple.

Shiro's cheeks went pink, as if to reflect the room's coloration.

Keith glanced at Shiro, then took a running start and leaped onto the bed.  He had to clear several feet to reach, but he did it without an issue. Then he turned and sprawled out on his back.  "Okay. I can live with this. I think we could have two of each of us fit on this thing and still fit comfortably."

"Probably."  Shiro watched him, a smile curling up at his lips without his permission. It was nice to see Keith indulge.  He was normally so self-reliant, and he preferred functionality to looks. To see him do a swan dive onto a ridiculously opulent bed was charming.

Shiro followed and physically hoisted himself on the foot of the bed.  He leaned against one of the silver posts, hands folded in his lap. "I think we can talk here.  But let's give Pidge a moment to make sure we're as alone as we think we are."

Grunting, Keith nodded.  "Gotcha." He closed his eyes and stretched out, comfortably, then flopped back down.  "Do we have to stay quiet the whole time?"

"You want to talk?  You. Keith. Talking."  Shiro crossed his arms, a grin cracking across his face.  It was odd that Keith was in such a good mood after everything.  He'd pushed Shiro away, made it clear they didn't want the same things, but he was also acting like it wasn't a big deal, even now.  

Maybe it wasn't.  Keith must really not think Shiro meant it.  It was an impulse, or part of the game that got a little too intimate for him.

This still felt like their friendship.  This still felt like them.

Eossi was right.  These moments were limited.  And if Shiro had a chance to keep this, he was going to damn well take it.

Shrugging, Keith pushed himself up on his elbows.  "You act like I don't talk all the time. I'd expect that crap from the team, but not from you."

"You talk, but you don't Talk," Shiro replied. 

Keith's brows rose.  "Oh, please. Like you Talk.  Give all the pep rally speeches you want, Shirogane, but we know how little you say that you don't want to."

It was a fair catch.  One that no one else saw.  So Shiro shrugged his shoulder, acknowledging the point.  "What did you want to talk about, then?"

"I want to know how long you spent today imagining you were Aragorn."

Shiro choked, then burst into laughter.  He flopped down next to Keith and rolled his eyes.  "None, thank you very much."

"Bullshit."

"Okay, a little."  A flush heated Shiro's cheeks, but he didn't stop smiling.  "Not that much more time than any other day. I do really like the capes, though."

Keith's expression softened.  "Yeah, I could tell. You kept making yours fan out while we were dancing."

He had?  It hadn't been intentional, aside from the spinning.  "I think that was how the dance worked out."

"Huh.  Yeah? A shame. I was going to be impressed with you."

Shiro kicked Keith in the shin, which only made him burst out in laughter.  "You're a riot." Shiro unclipped his cape from his shoulders, then threw it over Keith's face, just to watch him scramble against it.  "If you like it so much, you can have it."

Pulling it off his head, Keith bundled the cape up in his arms and held on.  "Okay, fine. This is mine now."

...Okay, bad idea.  Shiro really did want to keep it.  He made a grab, but Keith rolled to his other side.  "Never mind. Give it back."

"Finder's keepers."

"Are you  _ ten?" _  Shiro made a grab, but Keith twisted onto his stomach, protecting Shiro's cape lump with his chest and arms.

But leaving his own exposed.  Shiro clipped off Keith's cape instead, then jerked away before he could grab for it.  "Fine. If you get that one, I get this one." He attached it to his shoulders, then flicked it out so it billowed dramatically.

Turning his head, Keith took in the figure he made.  Then a soft smile came over his face. "Okay. Fair trade."

"Fine."

There was a lull in the conversation, but a fond one.  Some of the pain from the rejection dulled, back to the same, familiar ache that Shiro had lived with for ages.  Keith didn't feel like Shiro did. He'd known that. No matter what Lance claimed, no matter what they played at for this mission, they were friends.  The best of friends. Keith was the person that Shiro relied on, who he'd never given up on, and who had saved him over and over in return.

Who needed romance on top of that?  What they had was complete.

Shiro would live happily with this pain.  Maybe one day he'd finally get over it, even. 

Finally, Keith sat up.  "Think Pidge would be done by now?"

"Probably.  So we can speak relatively freely."  Shiro glanced back at the door, as if he could see any eavesdroppers, but then cleared his throat.  "We should talk about earlier."

Keith straightened out and let the cape fall into his lap.  His fingers tangled into it, and his eyes were clear and steady.  "Yeah, definitely."

Clearing his throat, Shiro took a deep breath.  "I want to apologize. There was a moment where the lines were blurred for me, and I didn't mean to cross it.  Our..." He paused, then winced, aware there was still a possibility they were being watched. "Our relationship means a lot to me, and I'm sorry I muddled that and overstepped your boundaries.  Despite everything, we've been making our feelings clear. That kiss edged into territory that wasn't what we agreed on, which wasn't my intention and I'm sorry for that."

There.  He managed to make that sound convincing, even to his own ears.  

Stilling, Keith's eyes darted over Shiro's face.  "Ah. I wasn't sure. I thought you might... mean something by it."  He swallowed hard, all of him tense.

There it was.  Shiro winced, then shook his head.  "No, I wasn't trying to make any kind of point.  It felt like the right time for a kiss, but given the tone of the conversation, it was poor timing.  You were right to push me away. I'll be more careful after this."

No more kisses when they were talking plainly.  When they were honestly being themselves, and not the fictional, married versions that Shiro was taking advantage of.  He couldn't stop completely, but he could at least promise that. It was the least he could do. 

Shiro swallowed hard and waited for Keith’s reaction.

Closing his eyes, Keith took a deep breath.  Then he let out another and nodded. "Okay. I'm glad we're on the same page, now.  Thanks." He scrubbed over his face, then pushed his hair out of his eyes. "I'm glad you're not taking this badly."

"Of course not."  Shiro sat up straighter, surprised Keith had even thought he would be mad.  "There's nothing you could do that would make me think worse of you, Keith. You're my best friend, and the closest person to me.  I’m sorry I hurt you by giving you mixed signals. How we are is perfect to me, and I don't want to change anything."

Keith gave a jerky nod, then took a deep breath.  "Okay. I like how we are, too." He opened his eyes and smiled, though it was thinner than before.  "So, nothing's changed? We're good?"

Relief coursed through Shiro.  He nodded eagerly and smiled. "We're very good."  

The silence drew out again, but this time not nearly as comfortable.  Keith didn't seem eager to speak again, and Shiro didn't know what to say.

Finally, Shiro cleared his throat.  "We should probably get ready for bed.  It's late, and we do need to sleep. You're okay to sleep in the same bed, right?  That won't cause any problems."

Keith's lips thinned, and he narrowed his eyes at Shiro.  "Why would it?"

Oh, that was a nerve.  Shiro stilled, surprised.  "I just wanted to be sure."  He pushed his bangs out of his face, then swallowed hard.  It had been so easy before, but Keith's mood seem to have plummeted.  Which was strange, because Shiro thought the conversation had gone great.  They were friends, Shiro was sorry he'd muddled that, let's all ignore it and move on.

Odd.

Finally, Shiro tried again.  He gestured for Keith's attention, then pointed to his shirt and pretended to pull it off, head tilted in question.  Planning out how much clothes not to wear to bed to look like a married couple would be strange for anyone listening, but hopefully no one was recording their actions.

Keith's lips pressed even thinner, like he wanted to object.

Stomach sinking, Shiro leaned back, hurt.  He knew he'd crossed a boundary, and he knew he wasn't nice to look at in his condition.  But it wasn't like he was going to feel up Keith's chest after they'd just agreed that they were only friends.

But Keith finally nodded and waved him off.  Shiro watched him, still confused, then sighed and stepped into the bathroom.

Since he hadn't been prepared to spend the night, Shiro had none of his supplies.  But he could at least wash off his face and swish water through his mouth, which was enough.  He'd have preferred a good shower after all that dancing, but without shampoo he'd feel greasy and wet.  Not fun.

In the privacy of the bathroom, Shiro stripped off the Altean-style shirt, then looked at himself in the mirror.  Keith had seen all of Shiro's arms and shoulders now, and some of his stomach during training. But this would be the first time he could see the full spectacle that Shiro made.  Scars of all kinds littered his body - electrical burns, acid marks, puncture wounds, blade cuts. A tapestry of suffering that Shiro himself was only beginning to untangle.

It was so tempting to put his shirt back on.  Shiro ached to keep these to himself, not to have to deal with looks and questions and concerns.  But if someone else came in while Shiro and Keith were still asleep, then they had to look like they were comfortable in each other's presence.  And that included not being buttoned up to his neck.

So Shiro folded up his shirt and Keith's cape, then forced himself to hold his head high and pretend he didn't care what Keith saw.

But Keith barely blinked at the sight.  By that point he was shirtless as well, and he'd kicked off his boots.  He gave Shiro a nod, and his eyes flickered down, acknowledging the change.  Then, without a single word, he stepped into the bathroom and closed it firmly behind him.

Not a problem, apparently.

Shiro almost wished Keith had stared instead of stalked off like he was mad.

Once his own boots were off, Shiro climbed into bed and sighed, letting the soft mattress pull him down.  It was less firm that he usually preferred, but the sheets were surprisingly silken, given that the Kavinun were made of metal.  The pillow was luxuriously stuffed, and the comforter was delightfully heavy.

Whatever had gone wrong, Shiro only hoped Keith would either say something or get past it.  The conversation had seemed good, and Shiro hated this dark tension that lurked in the corners of the room.  He rolled away from the door, facing the wall, as if he could hide from the tension if he didn't look.

Maybe he was over-analyzing.  Maybe Keith was just tired. They'd been dancing all night, and then they'd had a conversation that was both coded and unusually frank.  Shiro was certainly bone-tired. It was entirely possible that Shiro was misreading Keith. That his lack of interest in more conversation came across as angry instead of just finished.  It wouldn't be the first time someone read Keith's body language as more aggressive than he'd meant. 

Either Keith would share or he wouldn't.  Shiro had done the hard part. He'd convinced Keith that his feelings were platonic, and his actions were a silly misunderstanding.  That was all that mattered.

When Keith emerged from the bathroom, he paused.  When Shiro didn't twitch or turn back around, he let out a quiet sigh.  There was the sound of footsteps, then the light turned off. A moment later, the bed dipped behind Shiro as Keith climbed in.

Another long pause filled the room.

"Shiro?"

"Mmm?"  The acknowledgement cracked, like Shiro was barely awake.

Another pause.  "I just..." Keith trailed off, then shifted.  "You're really okay? Nothing's going to change?"

Shiro turned around and blinked at Keith.  In the dark, most of his face was shadowed, but the light reflected off the shine of his eyes.  "We're okay. No matter what, like I said. We're strong. Nothing's going to break us. Trust me, okay?"

Keith's eyes searched Shiro's.  Then he smiled, though it was edged with a different shadow than the ones in the room.  "I do. I trust you."

Despite everything, that still managed to warm Shiro's heart.  In a moment of daring, he leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together.  "I trust you too. You've saved me so many times. I care for you from the bottom of my heart."

Finally, Keith relaxed.  There was still a hint of that tension, but his smile got easier as he leaned into the touch. "I know.  And, uh... same."

It was a bittersweet thing to hear, but mostly sweet.  Maybe their relationship would never be quite like what Shiro hoped, but it was still so damn good.  Wanting more was simple greed, really. He already had Keith's devotion and love, even if it was familial.  That was enough.

Closing his eyes, Shiro let his breathing slow.  "One more thing. If I get a nightmare, back up and throw something, okay?  Don't try to shake me awake. I could hurt you."

Another pause, this one surprised rather than dark.  "I- you won't hurt me. But I'll do my best, okay?"

Good enough for now.  Shiro nodded, his eyes still firmly closed.  The exhaustion of the day and the chaos settled in his bones, like weights that sunk him further into the mattress.

As he drifted off, Shiro thought he felt something brush gently through his bangs.  But it didn't seem important, and he was warm and comfortable as he was, so he drifted off comfortably.

"Good night, Shiro."

***

Shiro woke slowly, cocooned by warmth and comfort.

Waking before his alarm was typical.  Shiro often slept in fits and spurts, getting a couple hours here and there.  But for once, he'd slept deeply and heavily for several hours. The cotton of a deep sleep still pulled him down, weighed by heavy covers and heat along his back.

Dazedly, he wondered if he could manage to sneak this blanket out with him.  It wasn't just thicker than the one at the castle. It was heavier, and it tucked into the nooks and crannies around him like a hug.  The left side of it was more than pure fabric, and he liked the sensation of it along his arm and side, then curled around his back.

Except.

Wait.

Some of that was definitely the blanket, and Shiro still liked that a lot.

But it definitely wasn't the blanket breathing against Shiro's neck.

Eyes snapping open, Shiro stared at the silvery wall.  The lights were still off, but light peeked out from behind a thick, red curtain over the nearest window.  The room was comfortably quiet, and even when he strained, Shiro couldn't hear any noise from the next room over, or from the hallway.

He could, however, hear Keith's breathing, because it was inches from his ear.

Because Keith was spooned up behind Shiro, pressed flush from legs to back.  His arms, heavier and thicker than expected, were curled around Shiro's waist.

Shiro's heart kicked into high gear, sending a chill through him.  He swallowed hard as his fingers dug into the sheets. 

Like this, Shiro could feel every inch of Keith.  His toes were curled against Shiro’s shins, one thigh slotted between both of Shiro’s.  They were pressed so close that Shiro could feel every inch of Keith’s chest, and his hips-

Bad thought.  Very bad thought.  Heat surged in Shiro, staining his cheeks and settling in his stomach.

He should get up.  He should untangle himself and head to the bathroom to get ready for the day.   Shiro had just fixed last night's mistake. If Keith woke with them like this, with Shiro awake and luxurating, he'd figure it out.  There would be nothing Shiro could do to fix this.

But...

But it had been years since someone had held Shiro like this.  Since he'd had someone against his back, warm and solid. Keith's arms were so sturdy around him, each puff of his breath delightfully domestic and soft.  Shiro wanted to memorize this moment, to burn the heat of Keith into his mind where he'd never lose it.

Shiro closed his eyes tight and made himself keep his breath even and slow, despite the lump in his throat.

He couldn't bring himself to pull away.  This was what Shiro wanted every morning. He wished he could turn over and kiss Keith good morning, watch him blink his eyes awake.  See that rumpled hair and slow smile as Keith realized the day had started and Shiro was there. A smile that said he  _ wanted _ Shiro there.

Swallowing, Shiro breathed through the swell of painful desire bubbling up in his chest.  He could picture it so well, could imagine the dark splay of Keith’s eyelashes against his cheek, the gentle part of Keith's lips as he went from deep, even breathing to awareness.  The way he'd slowly focus, then light up at the sight of Shiro.

The wound in Shiro's chest cracked further, stretching out to the furthest corners of his heart.

Then Keith shifted behind him.

Shiro went instinctively limp, like when he'd been a child and caught reading past his bedtime.  His breathing was already deep and even as he kept control. 

The only thing that could give him away was the pounding of his heart.

Keith let out a soft, grumpy noise, like he was upset the morning had crept up on him.  He curled in more and tightened his arms around Shiro, clutching him to his chest. There were several long seconds, where he stilled again, like he might fall back asleep.

Then his hand splayed out suddenly over Shiro's stomach.  Keith's breath hitched. His hair tickled the back of Shiro's neck as he moved.

"Oh," he said breathlessly.

Shiro's heart didn't slow for an instant.  His instincts said to curl away and hide his face, or to make some exaggerated show of sleep like murmuring or turning over.  But the best way to fool Keith was to keep laying perfectly still and breathe slowly.

The warm arms finally unraveled, and Shiro bit back a noise of protest.  Instead, Keith's top hand rested on Shiro's hip as he slowly, carefully, pushed himself up.  The blankets fell away from them both, exposing Shiro to the cooler air of the palace.

Silence hung heavily in the air.  Shiro was pinned utterly into place, waiting for Keith to climb out of bed, or move, or anything.

Instead, he nearly jumped when the hand started to smooth up and down.

The fingers always stayed carefully on Shiro's pants, not creeping up to his bare skin.  Each brush was so light that if Shiro had actually been asleep, he probably wouldn't have felt it.

"I'm sorry," Keith said, more vibration than word.  "Thank you."

Shiro had to fight every instinct to keep from opening his eyes.

Sorry for what?  Thank you for what?

Because of last night's tension before bed?  For turning Shiro down? For their complicated system of protecting and being saved?

Keith sighed, then finally moved.  He climbed out of bed, then turned and pulled the covers back up over Shiro's shoulders, taking care to tuck him in.

Then he walked away.  The bathroom door opened and shut.

Shiro's eyes snapped open.  He stared at the silvery wall in utter incomprehension.  Guilt churned in him, but it was easily ignored in the wake of everything else Shiro had experienced in the last five minutes.

He still had no idea what Keith had meant, or why he'd touched Shiro like that.  They were comfortable with each other, but never anything like that.

Did it mean something?  

Or was Shiro's stupid heart looking for excuses again?

Why didn't he ever learn his lesson?

Shiro pulled his pillow out from under his head, then curled around it and pressed his face into the fabric.

30 seconds.  30 seconds to mourn his little fantasy and forget what he'd accidentally overheard.

Then he'd be okay.

Shiro counted off each second, timing it to the sound of water hitting skin and wet feet on tile.  Then he pushed himself up on the bed and forced himself up to his feet. For lack of anything better to do, he made the bed, then tidied up the very little mess they'd made, including folding Keith's shirt and cape on the bed, as well as collecting his boots.

Soon enough, the water shut off.  There was a pause, and then the door finally opened, releasing a cloud of steam with it.  Keith stepped out, his dress pants draped over his arm and his towel wrapped around his waist.

Shiro stared, eyes wide, and felt his mouth go dry.

"Oh," Keith said, brows up.  He pushed his still dripping bangs out of his eyes.  "I thought you were still asleep. Did I wake you?" His jaw tightened, the only sign of nerves.

Smiling back, Shiro shrugged one shoulder.  "I'm surprised I slept as late as I did. The shower woke me, but I'm glad it did.  I need to get ready too before we go out."

The slight tension loosened.  Keith nodded and stepped further into the room.  "You need the sleep. You don't get enough as is."

"None of us do," Shiro replied, the easiest deflection.  He watched Keith come closer, fighting to keep his gaze on Keith's face rather than any further down.  Keith's bangs stuck to the sides of his face, and a drip traveled from his temple down over his jaw, along the neck, past his shoulder-

Shiro's eyes snapped back up.

Keith pressed his lips thin, clearly having caught Shiro's ogling.

Shit.   _ Shit. _  Really?  He'd promised himself he'd act normal, and then he'd ruined it in less than a minute.  All because Keith was shirtless.

Stepping to the bed, Keith snatched up his shirt.  "Sorry," he snapped out, the exact same dark tone as last night.  "I can dress in the bathroom."

"There's no need," Shiro said, holding up his hands.  Then, in case anyone was listening, he added, "I'll be able to control myself."

Stilling completely, Keith slowly turned.  His eyes caught Shiro's, burning and intense.

Shiro stilled, feeling absurdly like he'd been spotted like a predator.

"I might not be able to,"  Keith said. The words came out lower, somewhere between a purr and a threat.  There was still a challenge to Keith's eyes, like he was proving a point. The set to his shoulders was the same as when they spared together.

Swallowing hard, Shiro couldn't help the flush that crept from his cheeks and over his ears.  "Oh." He licked over his lips instinctively, an old nervous gesture. "You still don't have to.  I can handle it."

He meant it as a reassurance, one that wouldn't sound weird if anyone was listening, but instead Keith's gaze darkened further.  "Don't make promises you don't plan on keeping."

"Since when have I ever?"

"Fine."

With that, Keith raised his chin, with the air of someone who had the trump card in an argument.

Then he let the towel drop.

Shiro caught sight of trim hips before he snapped his head away.  The flush deepened, until his whole face felt like it was burning.

The fabric snapped as Keith got dressed, proof of his worsening temper, then relative quiet.  It wasn't until then that Shiro dared to look over at Keith again. 

He wasn't looking at Shiro.  Instead his gaze was on the bed, like he didn't dare to look up.

Okay, something had gone very wrong here.  Clearly, Keith wasn't as okay with Shiro's slip as he claimed, especially when it kept happening.

"Hey," Shiro said gently.  He put his hand on Keith's bare arm, squeezing.  "I'm sorry, okay? I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable.  Can I make this right? We can't go out there like this."

Keith's lips pulled back, showing teeth that were just a hint too sharp for a human.  "Right. I shouldn't mess up the mission. Got it."

Shit.  "No. Not that.  Keith..." Shiro tugged on his arm, trying to get him to look up.  "I'm sorry. I am. I don't know exactly what you're thinking right now, but I'm sure it has to do with last night.  Please. I said yesterday nothing can hurt us. I meant that with all my heart. I'm hoping you feel the same way."

"I thought so too."  Keith didn't look over, but he didn't pull away, either.  It made Shiro achingly aware of the soft skin under his hand, warm not just from the shower.  "It's an adjustment. I need to get used to thinking this way. And it's hard when you..."

"When I what?"

"When you tease."  Keith took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Then he picked his head up and plastered on a clearly fake, thin smile.  "It's fine. Let's get ready so we can finish the talks today."

Looking over the poorly concealed pain, Shiro's heart cracked.

"Fuck the talks," he said, gripping Keith's arm tighter.  "I don't care. I don't care at all."

The fake expression fell away, replaced by honest shock.  "Shiro?"

"We're more important."  It was strange to say those words out loud.  The sentiment had always been true. Shiro had been willing to fight every single member of the Blade of Marmora for Keith’s right to keep his knife, once it was clear how much he cared about it.  The truth was ugly, but it was clear. Shiro cared more about Keith's happiness than the mission. 

When weighed against the universe, Shiro still picked Keith.  He always had. 

"Please, Keith.  Talk to me."

"What's there to talk about?"  Keith clenched his teeth and finally met Shiro's eyes.  "We talked last night. You feel differently than I do. That's fine, it's an adjustment.  I'll get used to it, okay?"

Finally, Shiro dropped Keith's arm.  He sat down heavily on the bed and took a deep breath against the choking tightness in his throat.  

That was it.  Keith knew, and he'd been willing to let Shiro  pretend. But it was obvious, now. Shiro couldn't hide it anymore, and Keith clearly wasn't comfortable.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin anything.  You don't have to think about it, okay? I'll hide it better after the mission.  It's so hard to pretend I get to have you, and to let you go after. I've felt this way for months now and it wasn't a problem.  I'm not going to make it one now."

There was silence.

Each second without a response squeezed Shiro's heart.

Finally, there was a dip in the bed next to Shiro.   "What are you saying?"

"Seriously?"  Shiro picked up his head, swallowing against the horrible, gaping aching in his chest.  "You're going to make me say it? You want the dirty details? What do you want to hear, Keith?"

Keith stared, his eyes huge and stunned.  

Apparently, yes.  Shiro was going to have to say this.  Because he couldn't be allowed the dignity of quietly licking his wounds.  No, he had to dredge this out.

"I love you," Shiro said, snapping out the words.  He'd never imagined this moment like this, even in the few times he'd allowed himself the fantasy of confessing.  "I love you, and you were never supposed to find out. I know you value our friendship, that I’m like your brother, so I was never going to say anything.  You're the closest person to me and I never wanted to ruin that for either of us, but apparently I have to. Can we pretend I never fucked up, please? Nothing has to change at all, and you don't have to pull back or feel awkward.  I'll probably get over it eventually."

Keith reached out, his hand hovering between them like he wasn't sure what to do with it anymore.  "You..."

He looked like Shiro had slapped him.

Shit.

Shiro sighed and looked down at his lap.  "Sorry. I shouldn't be mad at you. You're not the one who fucked up.  I mean it when I say our friendship can survive this. I'll hold back more during the rest of the talks.  I obviously make you uncomfortable, and Allura will agree that not compromising Voltron is more important than the minor advantage we get for this charade.  I'm sorry I can't back off completely, but it'll be over tonight." He glanced up through his bangs and offered a thin smile. "Can we please still be friends?"

"No."

Oh.  Shiro closed his eyes against the well of pain.

When he opened his mouth to apologize again, something warm and soft impacted his lips.

Shiro opened his eyes as the force of Keith's kiss pushed them both back onto the bed.

Stunned, Shiro could only instinctively grip at Keith's hips for balance.  He felt Keith's hands settle on his shoulders in return, the nails digging in fiercely.

Before he could recover enough to return the gesture, Keith yanked himself back, taking a deep breath.  "You idiot."

Shiro gaped, head still spinning.  It was hard to focus on the words when his mouth tingled with the sense memory of soft lips.  "What?"

"You- I've been in love with you for  _ years!" _

".... _ What?" _

Keith shook his head.  "How do you not know that?  Everyone does! I thought you were being nice about it."

"How- no!"  Shiro's mind scrambled over the time they'd known each other, looking for signals he'd missed.  Yes, Keith was devoted, but he was that way to everyone he cared about, or even to ideals he followed.  "But you pushed me away last night."

Keith's brow drew together.  Then he groaned and scrubbed over his face.  "It was in public, in the middle of pretending to be married.  I thought you had actual feelings for me, and I didn't want our first real kiss to be mixed signals.  So I..." He groaned into Shiro's chest. "So I interrupted, yeah."

The rest of the evening played out behind Shiro's eyes.  "And then I immediately told you it had been a mistake and that I hadn't meant it, it was just confusing timing."

"Yeah."  Keith picked his head up.  "I thought we were finally on the same page."

Oh,  _ Keith. _

Shiro cupped his cheek gently, smoothing his thumb under his eye.  "I thought you'd figured me out. I was so confused why you weren't more upset after.  Then your temper kept getting darker and you were mad when I kept slipping up and reminding you."

Expression softening, Keith pressed their foreheads together.  His hair tumbled down the side of his face, tickling Shiro's cheeks and blocking his view of the rest of the room.  "You told me you weren't actually interested, and then you were staring when I was wet."

"We're both stupid."

Keith's eyes crinkled.  "Yeah. We are."

He looked beautiful like that, amused and thrilled and embarrassed.

For once, Shiro didn't have to second guess himself.  

He leaned up and kissed Keith, gentle and slow like in his few, guilty fantasies.  

They'd kissed a number of times over the past couple of days.  Those had made Shiro's heart race and ache with the need for more.

This one was calming.  As amazing as it felt, it wasn't the explosion of desire and fireworks Shiro had imagined.  This wasn't the moment in a movie where the music swelled and the skies opened up, drenching them in rain. 

This kiss was affirming and caring and  _ warm. _  A natural extension of the friendship they'd held for years.

Shiro loved it.

When they pulled away, Keith was smiling softly.  "That was worth waiting for."

"Yeah, it was."  Shiro pushed Keith's wet bangs out of his face.   "Hey, Keith?"

"Hm."

"Want to go on a date soon?"

Keith blinked, then snickered.  "We really did this in the wrong order, didn't we?"

Nodding, Shiro grinned up at him. "Declarations of eternal devotion, then marriage, then dating.  Yeah, a little messed up." 

Running a finger along Shiro's bottom lip, Keith smiled.  "I wouldn't have it any other way." He kissed Shiro again, this time with more pressure.  His lips parted and he nipped at Shiro's bottom lip until he gasped.

From there, the kiss grew more intense.  Shiro held onto Keith's jaw, eagerly opening his mouth to him, groaning at the heat.  His other hand settled onto Keith's warm, bare back, fingers tracing down his spine.

When he hit Keith's pants, Shiro shook his head and pulled away.  "We still need to get ready for talks today."

"I thought you said fuck the mission."  Keith followed Shiro's mouth, clicking over his swollen bottom lip.

Shiro shuddered, eyes falling closed.  "I meant we needed to talk freely. Not that we should stay in our room and make out."

That only made Keith smirk.  "We're married, it's expected."

Considering what Shiro had implied to Eossi?  Probably, yes.

Shiro closed his eyes, estimating what time it was, and when talks were scheduled.

"Ten more minutes."

Keith grinned, teeth sharp and eyes bright, then leaned down eagerly.

***

They barely arrived to the talks on time, both flushed and hands clasped tightly.

Even if King Eossi hadn't looked so amused, it would have been worth it.

The feeling of Keith's hand laced in his, and the smile on his face was worth everything to Shiro.


End file.
